LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

University  of  California, 

Class 


PIAlSrO  AND  SONG 

HOW  TO  TEACH,  HOW  TO  LEARN,  AND 

HOW  TO  FORM  A  JUDGMENT  OF 

MUSICAL  PERFORMANCES 


BY 

FRIEDRICH   WIECK 

w 

TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  GERMAN 
BY 

MARY   P.   NICHOLS 


OLIVEE  DITSON  COMPANY 

BOSTON 

CHAS.  H.  DITSON  &  CO.  LYON  &  HEALY 

NEW  YOBK  CHICAGO 


TRANSLATOR'S    PREFACE. 


Friedrich  Wieck,  the  author  of  the  work  a 
translation  of  which  is  here  offered  to  the  pubHc, 
was  during  his  long  life  a  distinguished  teacher 
of  music.  He  died  in  the  autumn  of  1873.  He 
was  the  father  and  teacher  of  the  celebrated 
pianist,  Clara  Wieck,  now  Fr.  Dr.  Clara  Schu- 
mann, widow  ot  the  renowned  composer  Robert 
Schumann,  who  was  also  a  pupil  of  Wieck,  His 
second  daughter,  Fraulein  Marie  Wieck,  is  well 
known  in  Germany  as  an  artistic  performer  on 
the  piano-forte. 

I  have  translated  this  little  book,  with  the  belief 
chat  a  knowledge  of  the  author's  views  will  be  no 
less  valuable  in  America  than  in  his  own  country ; 
and  with  the  hope  that  it  may  find  readers  who 
will  be  glad  to  receive  the  suggestions  of  so  expe- 
rienced a  teacher. 

In  illustration  of  his  method,  in  addition  to  the 
two  Etudes,  already  published  by  F.  Whistling, 
Leipzig,  a  number  of  piano  exercises,  &c.,  selected 


216668 


vi  Translator^ s  Preface. 

from  the  literary  remains  of  Wieck,  by  his  daugh- 
ter Marie  Wieck  and  his  pupil  Louis  Grosse,  are, 
it  is  said,  about  to  be  pubHshed. 

I  have  omitted  in  the  translation  a  few  portions 
on  the  composition  and  management  of  the  opera, 
on  the  giving  of  concerts,  and  on  the  construction 
of  the  piano,  thinking  that  they  would  be  of  little 
interest  or  practical  value  to  the  general  public. 

Mary  P.  Nichols. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST   EDITION. 


I  HERE  present  to  the  musical  public  a  book 
written  in  a  style  of  my  own,  not  a  scientific  and 
systematically  well-arranged  treatise.  This  no 
reasonable  man  would  expect  of  an  old  music- 
master,  who,  in  his  long  practice  in  the  realm  of 
tones,  could  not  arrive  at  learned  and  too  often 
fruitless  deductions.  Nature  made  me  susceptible 
to  that  which  is  good  and  beautiful ;  a  correct 
instinct  and  a  tolerable  understanding  have  taught 
me  to  avoid  the  false  and  the  vicious  ;  a  desire 
for  increased  knowledge  has  led  me  to  observe 
carefully  whatever  I  met  with  in  my  path  in  life  ; 
and  I  may  say,  without  hesitation,  that  I  have 
endeavored,  according  to  my  ability,  to  fill  the  po- 
sition to  which  I  have  been  called.  This  is  no 
vain  boast,  but  only  the  justifiable  assertion  of  a 
good  conscience ;  and  this  no  man  needs  to  with- 
hold. For  these  reasons,  I  have  been  unwilling  to 
refrain  from  giving  to  the  world  a  true  expression 
of   my  opinions  and   feelings.     I   trust  they  will 


viii  Preface  to  the  First  Edition. 

meet  with  a  few  sympathizing  spirits  who  are 
willing  to  understand  my  aims  ;  but  I  shall  be  still 
more  happy  if,  here  and  there,  a  music-teacher 
will  adopt  the  views  here  set  forth,  at  the  same 
time  carefully  and  thoughtfully  supplying  many 
things  which  it  did  not  enter  into  my  plan  to 
explain  more  in  detail.  Abundant  material  lay 
spread  out  before  me,  and  even  increased  upon  my 
hands  while  I  was  writing.  Art  is  indeed  so  com- 
prehensive, and  every  thing  in  life  is  so  closely  con- 
nected with  it,  that  whoever  loves  and  fosters  it 
will  daily  find  in  it  new  sources  of  enjoyment  and 
new  incitements  to  study.  The  most  experienced 
teacher  of  art  must  be  a  constant  learner. 

I  have  always  held  and  still  hold  the  opinions 
advanced  in  this  work,  and  I  have  neglected  no 
opportunity  to  impress  them  upon  my  pupils. 

I  may  be  allowed  to  mention  here,  with  some 
satisfaction,  my  daughters  Clara  and  Marie  ;  and, 
among  mimerous  other  pupils,  I  speak  with  equal 
pleasure  of  the  estimable  Herr  Waldemar  Heller, 
of  Dresden,  and  Prof.  E.  F.  Wenzel,  of  Leipa^ig. 
I  have  always  enjoyed  their  affection  and  gratitude, 
and  I  feel  a  pride  that  they  continue  to  defend  and 
to  teach  the  principles  which  they  have  received 
from  me. 

This  is  not  the  first  time  that  I  have  appeared 
as  an  author.     The  "  Signale  f iir  die  musikalische 


Preface  to  the  First  Edition.  ix 

Welt,"  as  well  as  the  "  Neue  Zeitschrift  fur  Musik," 
have  published  numerous  essays  from  my  pen 
under  various  titles.  The  approval  which  they 
met  with,  at  the  time  of  their  appearance,  has 
induced  me  to  undertake  this  larger  work.  Several 
of  those  earlier  writings  are  included  in  this  book, 
but  in  a  partially  altered  form.  The  frequently 
recurring  character,  the  teacher  Dominie,  originated 
with  these  essays  ;  I  need  hardly  say  that  he  rep- 
resents my  humble  self.  Those  who  are  otherwise 
unacquainted  with  me  will  through  him  understand 
my  character,  and  will  moveover  see  that  a  man  of 
such  caustic  brevity  can  be,  by  no  means,  a  master 
of  polished  style.  May  this  last  acknowledgment 
appease  all  those  critics  whose  hair  is  made  to 
Stan  i  on  end  by  my  inelegant  mode  of  writing.  I 
will  make  no  further  apology  for  my  style.  I  have 
often  availed  myself  of  the  dialogue  form,  because 
it  was  conducive  to  brevity ;  not  less  frequently  I 
have  made  use  of  the  form  of  the  epistle  and  of 
personal  discourse,  as  being  more  congenial  to  my 
individual  manner  than  that  of  a  serious  treatise. 
I  have  also  undertaken  to  say  something  about 
singing!  A  piano-teacher,  if  he  is  possessed  of 
mind  and  talent,  as  I  suppose  him  to  be,  whether 
he  teaches  the  elements  or  occupies  himself  with 
more  advanced  instruction,  should  understand  the 
art  of  singing;  he,  at  least,  should  show  a  warm 


X  Preface  to  the  First  Edition. 

interest  in  it,  and  should  have  an  earnest  love  for 
it.  When  I  speak  in  general  of  singing,  I  refer  to 
that  species  of  singing  which  is  a  form  of  beauty, 
and  which  is  the  foundation  for  the  most  refined 
and  most  perfect  interpretation  of  music  ;  and, 
above  all  things,  I  consider  the  culture  of  beautiful 
tones  the  basis  for  the  finest  possible  touch  upon 
the  piano.  In  many  respects,  the  piano  and  sing- 
ing should  explain  and  supplement  each  other. 
They  should  mutually  assist  in  expressing  the  sub- 
lime and  the  noble,  in  forms  of  unclouded  beauty. 
My  book  will  make  this  evident  to  many ;  but 
whether  it  will  succeed  with  all,  I  doubt.  Not 
a  few  will  even  be  found  who  will  lay  aside  my 
book  with  contempt,  and  who  will  scorn  the  zeal 
of  the  "  man  of  the  past  age."  I  am  quite  prepared 
for  this  :  it  is  the  fashion  at  present  to  undervalue 
the  old  times  and  their  defenders  ;  but  I  shall  con- 
tinue to  be  conservative,  until  the  "  men  of  the 
future "  shall  be  able  to  show  me  results  which 
shall  excel  those  of  the  past,  or  at  least  shall  equal 
them. 

And  now  I  commend  my  little  book  to  the  pub- 
lic, trusting  that  it  will  instruct  the  willing,  correct 
the  erring,  incite  the  indolent,  and  chastise  those 
who  wilfully  persist  in  the  wrong. 

The  Author. 


CONTENTS. 


Chap.  Pagi 

I.    On  Elementary  Piano-forte  Instruction  i 
II.    An    Evening    Entertainment    at    Herr 

Zach's 17 

III.  Many  Students  of  the  Piano  and  Few 

Players 24 

IV.  A   Conversation   with   Mrs.   Solid,  and 

Four  Lessons  to  her  Daughter  ...  31 

V.    On  the  Pedal ....  59 

VI.    The  Soft-Pedal  Sentiment 65 

VII.    A  Musical  Tea-Party  at  the  House  of 

John  Spriggins 72 

VIII.    Singing  and  Singing-Teachers     ....  85 

IX.    Thoughts  on  Singing 96 

X.    Visit  at  Mrs.  N.'s 121 

XI.    Secrets 128 

XII.    Thoughts  on  Piano-playing 144 

XIII.  On  Musical  Talent    ........  103 

XIV.  Extravagances    in   Singing   and   Piano- 

playing     ...»         .......  173 

XV.    Conclusion 186 


PIANO   AND   SONG. 


PIANO    AND    SONG. 


CHAPTER   I. 

ON  ELEMENTARY   PIANO-FORTE  INSTRUCTION. 

You  ask,  my  dear  friend,  for  some  particular 
information  about  my  piano  method,  especially 
with  regard  to  my  mode  of  elementary  instruc- 
tion, which  differs  essentially  from  that  in  common 
use. 

I  give  you  here  the  main  points;  and,  if  you 
place  confidence  in  my  experience  of  forty  years, 
and  if  you  will  supply  those  details  which  I  have 
omitted,  your  own  varied  experience  as  a  thought- 
ful, talented,  and  earnest  piano-teacher  will  enable 
you  to  understand  my  theory,  from  the  following 
dialogue  between  my  humble  self  under  the  title 
of  Dominie,  my  friend,  and  the  little  Bessie:  — 

Dominie.  My  dear  friend,  how  have  you  man- 
aged to  make  piano-playing  so  utterly  distasteful 
to  little  Susie?  and  how  is  it  that  the  instruction 

I  A 


2  Piano  and  Song, 

which  you  have  given  her  for  the  last  three  years 
actually  amounts  to  nothing  ? 

Friend.  Well,  I  will  tell  you  how  I  have  pro- 
ceeded. First  I  taught  her  the  names  of  the  keys, 
that  was  pretty  dull  work  for  her  ;  then  I  made  her 
learn  the  treble  notes,  which  was  a  difficult  matter ; 
after  that  I  taught  her  the  bass  notes,  which  puz- 
zled her  still  more  ;  then  I  undertook  to  teach  her 
a  pretty  little  piece,  which  she  hoped  to  perform 
for  the  delight  of  her  parents.  Of  course  she  con- 
stantly confused  the  bass  and  treble  notes,  she  could 
not  keep  time,  she  always  used  the  wrong  fingers 
and  could  not  learn  it  at  all.  Then  I  scolded  her, 
—  she  only  cried  ;  I  tried  a  little  coaxing,  —  that 
made  her  cry  worse ;  finally  I  put  an  end  to  the 
piano  lessons,,  and  she  begged  me  never  to  begin 
them  again  ;  and  there  you  have  the  whole  story. 

Dominie.  You  certainly  might  have  begun  more 
judiciously.  How  is  it  possible  for  a  child  to  climb 
a  ladder  when  not  only  the  lower  rounds,  but  a 
great  many  more,  are  wanting  }  Nature  makes  no 
leaps,  least  of  all  with  children. 

Friend.  But  did  she  not  begin  to  cUmb  the 
ladder  at  the  bottom  t 

Dominie.  By  no  means.  She  certainly  never 
was  able  to  reach  th  ?.  top.     I  should  say,  rather, 


On  Elementary  Piano-forte  Instrtiction,         3 

that  she  tumbled  down  head  foremost.  To  speak 
mildly,  she  began  to  climb  in  the  middle  ;  and  even 
then  you  tried  to  chase  her  up,  instead  of  allowing 
her,  carefully  and  quietly,  to  clamber  up  one  step 
at  a  time.  Bring  me  your  youngest  daughter, 
Bessie,  and  I  will  show  you  how  I  give  a  first 
lesson. 

Dominie.  Bessie,  can  you  say  your  letters  after 
me  1  so,  —  Cf  dy  e^f. 

Bessie,     c,  d,  Cyf. 

Dominie.     Go  on, — g^  a^  b^  c. 

Bessie,    g^  a,  b,  c. 

Dominie.  Once  more  :  the  first  four  again,  then 
the  next  four.  That's  right :  now  all  the  eight, 
one  after  the  other,  r,  d,  eyf  gy  ay  by  c, 

Bessie,     c,  dy  e,fy  gy  ay  by  c. 

Dominie  (after  repeating  this  several  times'). 
That's  good :  now  you  see  you  have  learned  some- 
thing already.  That  is  the  musical  alphabet,  and 
those  are  the  names  of  the  white  keys  on  the 
piano-forte.  Presently  you  shall  find  them  out, 
and  learn  to  name  them  yourself.  But,  first,  you 
must  take  notice  (I  strike  the  keys  in  succession 
with  my  finger,  from  the  one-lined  c  to  the  highest 
treble)  that  these  sounds  grow  higher  and  becDme 
sharper  one  after  the  other ;   and  in  this  way  (I 


4  Piano  and  Song, 

strike  the  keys  from  one-lined  c  to  the  lowest 
bass)  you  hear  that  the  sounds  grow  lower  and 
heavier.  The  upper  half,  to  the  right,  is  called  the 
treble ;  the  lower  half  is  the  bass.  You  quite  un- 
derstand now  the  difference  between  the  high  sharp 
tones  and  the  low  deep  ones  ?  Now  we  will  go 
on.  What  you  see  here,  and  will  learn  to  play 
upon,  is  called  the  key-board,  consisting  of  white 
keys  and  black  ones.  You  shall  presently  learn 
to  give  the  right  names  both  to  the  white  keys  and 
the  black  ;  you  see  there  are  always  two  black  keys 
and  then  three  black  keys  together,  all  the  way  up 
and  down  the  key-board.  Now  put  the  fore-finger 
of  your  right  hand  on  the  lower  one  of  any  of  the 
two  black  keys  that  are  together,  and  let  it  slip  o£E 
on  to  the  white  key  next  below  it ;  now  you  have 
found  the  key  called  c ;  what  is  the  name  of  the 
next  key  above  it  ?  Say  the  whole  musical  alpha- 
bet. 

Bessie,     c,  d,  e,f,  gy  a^  b^  c. 

Dominie.     Well,  then,  that  key  is  called  d. 

Bessie.     Then  this  one  must  be  e. 

Dominie.  And  now  comes/!  Anywhere  on 
the  key-board  you  can  find  /  just  as  easily,  if  you 
put  your  finger  on  the  lowest  of  any  three  black 
keys  that  are  together,  and  let  it  slip  off  on  to  the 


On  Elementary  Piano-fotte  Instruction.      '  5 

white  key  next  below  it.  If  you  remember  where 
these  two  keys, /and  r,  are,  both  in  the  treble  and 
the  bass,  you  can  easily  find  the  names  of  all  the 
other  keys.     Now  what  is  the  next  key  above /.^ 

Bessie,    gy  and  then  a,  by  c. 

Dominie.  Now  we  will  say  over  several  times 
the  names  of  the  keys,  upwards  and  downwards, 
and  learn  to  find  them  skipping  about  in  any  irreg- 
ular order.  At  the  end  of  the  lesson  we  will  try 
them  over  once  more,  and  before  the  next  lesson 
you  will  know  the  names  of  all  the  white  keys. 
You  must  practise  finding  them  out  by  yourself ; 
you  can't  make  a  mistake,  if  you  are  careful  to 
remember  where  the  c  and  the  /  are. 

I  told  you  that  the  sounds  this  way  (I  strike  the 
keys  upward)  grow  higher,  and  this  way  (I  strike  them 
downwards)  they  grow  lower.  So  you  see  no  tones 
are  just  alike :  one  is  either  higher  or  lower  than 
the  other.  Do  you  hear  the  difference }  Now 
turn  round  so  as  not  to  see  the  keys  ;  I  will  strike 
two  keys,  one  after  the  other ;  now  which  is  the 
highest  (the  sharpest),  the  first  or  the  second  }  (I 
go  on  in  this  way,  gradually  touching  keys  nearer 
and  nearer  together  ;  sometimes,  in  order  to  puzzle 
her  and  to  excite  close  attention,  I  strike  the  lower 
one  gently  and  the  higher  one  stronger,  and  keep 


6  Piano  and  Song. 

on  sounding  them,  lower  and  lower  towards  the 
bass,  according  to  the  capacity  of  the  pupil.)  I 
suppose  you  find  it  a  Uttle  tiresome  to  listen  so 
closely ;  but  a  delicate,  quick  ear  is  necessary  for 
piano-playing,  and  by  and  by  it  will  become  easier 
to  you.  But  I  won't  tire  you  with  it  any  more  now, 
we  will  go  on  to  something  else.  Can  you  count 
3,-1,2,3.? 

Bessie.     Yes,  indeed,  and  more  too. 

Dominie.     We'll  see ;  now  keep  counting  i,  2,  3, 

1,  2,  3,  as  evenly  and  regularly  as  you  can.  (I  lead 
her  to  count  steadily,  and  strike  at  the  same  time 
a  chord  in  three  even  quarter-notes.)  Now  we'll 
see  if  you  can  count  evenly  by  yourself.     (I  count 

1  of  the  chord  with  her,  and  leave  her  to  count 

2  and  3  by  herself;   or  else  I  count  with  her  at 

2,  and  let  her  count  i  and  3  alone ;  but  I  am 
careful  to  strike  the  chord  promptly  and  with  pre- 
cision. Afterwards  I  strike  the  chord  in  eighth- 
notes,  and  let  her  count  i,  2,  3  ;  in  short,  I  give 
the  chord  in  various  ways,  in  order  to  teach  her 
steadiness  in  counting,  and  to  confine  her  atten- 
tion. In  the  same  way  I  teach  her  to  count  i,  2, 
I,  2 ;  or  I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6  ;  at  the  same  time  telling 
her  that  music  is  sometimes  counted  in  triple  time, 
and  sometimes  in  J  or  |  time.)     Now,  Bessie,  you 


On  Elementary  Piano-forte  Instruction.         7 

have  learned  to  count  very  well,  and  to  know  the 
difference  in  the  tones.  It  is  not  every  child  that 
learns  this  in  the  first  lesson.  If  you  don't  get 
tired  of  it,  you  will  some  time  learn  to  be  a  good 
player.  As  soon  as  you  are  rested,  I  will  tell  you 
about  something  else,  that  you  will  have  to  listen 
to  very  carefully. 

Bessie.  But  I  like  it,  and  will  take  pains  to  listen 
just  as  closely  as  I  can. 

Dominie.  When  several  tones  are  struck  at  the 
same  time,  if  they  sound  well  together,  they  make 
what  we  call  a  chord.  But  there  are  both  major 
and  minor  chords :  the  major  chord  sounds  joyous, 
gay ;  the  minor,  sad,  dull,  as  you  would  say ;  the 
former  laugh,  the  latter  weep.  Now  take  notice 
whether  I  am  right.  (I  strike  the  chord  of  C 
major  ;  then,  after  a  short  pause,  that  of  C  minor ; 
and  try,  by  a  stronger  or  lighter  touch,  to  make 
her  listen  first  to  the  major  and  then  to  the  minor 
chords.  She  usually  distinguishes  correctly ;  but 
it  will  not  do  to  dwell  too  long  upon  these  at  first, 
or  to  try  to  enforce  any  thing  by  too  much  talk 
and  explanation.)  Now  I  will  tell  you  that  the 
difference  in  the  sounds  of  these  chords  is  in  the 
third,  counted  upwards  from  the  lower  note  r,  and 
depends  upon  whether  you  take  it  half  a  tone  higher 


3  "^  -       Piano  and  Song. 

or  lower,  ^  or  ^  flat.  I  shall  explain  this  better  to 
you  by  and  by,  when  you  come  to  learn  about  the 
tonic,  the  third,  the  fifth  or  dominant,  the  octave, 
and  so  on.  (It  is  advantageous  and  psychologically 
correct  to  touch  occasionally,  in  passing,  upon  points 
which  will  be  more  thoroughly  taught  later.  It 
excites  the  interest  of  the  pupil.  Thu%  the  cus- 
tomary technical  terms  are  sometimes  made  use 
of  beforehand,  and  a  needful,  cursory  explanation 
given  of  them.)  That  is  right ;  you  can  tell  them 
pretty  well  already  ;  now  we  will  repeat  once  more 
the  names  of  the  keys,  and  then  we  will  stop  for 
to-day.  Just  see  how  many  things  you  have  learned 
in  this  lesson. 

Bessie.     It  was  beautiful ! 
Dominie.     I  hope  you  will  always  find  it  so. 
Bessie.     When  may  I  have  another  lesson } 
Dominie.     Day  ^afte^  tb^morrow  ;   at  first,  you 
must  have  ^least  three  lessons  a  week. 

Bessie.  What  shall  I  do  in  the  next  lesson  t 
Dominie.  I  shall  repeat  all  that  I  have  taught 
you  to-day ;  but  I  shall  teach  you  a  great  deal  of  it 
in  a  different  way,  and  every  time  I  shall  teach  it 
to  you  differently,  so  that  it-shaH  always  be  inter- 
esting to  you.  In  the  next  lesson  we  will  begin  to 
play,  first  on  the  table,  and  at  last  on  the  piano. 


On  Elementary  Piano-forte  Instruction,         9 

You  will  learn  to  move  your  fingers  lightly  and 
loosely,  and  quite  independently  of  the  arm,  though 
at  first  they  will  be  weak ;  and  you  will  learn  to 
raise  them  and  let  them  fall  properly.  Besides 
that,  we  will  contrive  a  few  exercises  to  teach  you 
to  make  the  wrist  loose,  for  that  must  be  learned 
in  the  beginning  in  order  to  acquire  a  fine  touch 
on  the  piano  ;  that  is,  to  make  the  tones  sound  as 
beautiful  as  possible.  I  shall  show  you  how  to  sit 
at  the  piano  and  how  to  hold  your  hands.  You 
will  learn  the  names  of  the  black  keys  and  the 
scale  of  C,  with  the  half -step  from  the  3d  to  the 
4th  and  also  that  from  the  7th  to  the  8th,  which 
latter  is  called  the  leading  note,  which  leads  into 
C.  (This  is  quite  important  for  my  method,  for 
in  this  way  the  different  keys  can  be  clearly  ex- 
plained.) You  will  learn  to  find  the  chord  of  C 
in  the  bass  and  the  treble,  and  to  strike  them  with 
both  hands  together.  And  then  in  the  third  or 
fourth  lesson,  after  you  know  quite  perfectly  all 
that  I  have  already  taught  you,  I  will  teach  you  to 
play  a  little  piece  that  will  please  you,  and  then  you 
will  really  be  a  player,  a  pianist. 

Friend.  From  whom  have  you  learned  all  this } 
It  goes  like  the  lightning-train. 

Dominie.     A  great  many  people  can  learn  what 


lO  Piano  and  Song, 

is  to  be  taught ;  but  how  it  is  to  be  taught  I  have 
only  found  out  by  devoting  my  whole  mind,  with 
real  love  and  constant  thought,  to  the  musical 
improvement  and  general  mental  development  of 
my  pupils.  The  advancement  will  unquestionably 
be  rapid,  for  it  proceeds  step  by  step,  and  one  thing 
is  founded  upon  another;  the  pupil  learns  every 
thing  quietly,  thoughtfully,  and  surely,  without 
going  roundabout,  without  any  hindrances  and 
mistakes  to  be  unlearned.  I  never  try  to  teach 
too  much  or  too  little ;  and,  in  teaching  each  thing, 
I  try  to  prepare  and  lay  the  foundation  for  other 
things  to  be  afterwards  learned.  I  consider  it  very 
important  not  to  try  to  cram  the  child's  memory 
with  the  teacher's  wisdom  (as  is  often  done  in  a 
crude  and  harsh  way) ;  but  I  endeavor  to  excite 
the  pupil's  mind,  to  interest  it,  and  to  let  it  develop 
itself,  and  not  to  degrade  it  to  a  mere  machine. 
I  do  not  require  the  practice  of  a  vague,  dreary, 
time  and  mind  killing  piano-jingling,  in  which  way, 
as  I  see,  your  little  Susie  was  obliged  to  learn ; 
but  I  observe  a  musical  method,  and  in  doing 
this  always  keep  strictly  in  view  the  individuality 
and  gradual  development  of  the  pupil.  In  more 
advanced  instruction,  I  even  take  an  interest  in 
the  general  culture  and  disposition  of  the  pupil, 


On  Elementary  Piano-forte  histruction.       \  l 

and  improve  every  opportunity  to  call  forth  the 
sense  of  beauty,  and  continually  to  aid  in  the  in- 
tellectual development. 

Friend.     But  where  are  the  notes  all  this  time  ? 

Dominie.  Before  that,  we  have  a  great  deal  to 
do  that  is  interesting  and  agreeable.  I  keep  con- 
stantly in  view  the  formation  of  a  good  technique ; 
but  I  do  not  make  piano-playing  distasteful  to  the 
pupil  by  urging  her  to  a  useless  and  senseless 
mechanical  "  practising."  I  may  perhaps  teach  the 
treble  notes  after  the  first  six  months  or  after  sixty 
or  eighty  lessons,  but  I  teach  them  in  my  own 
peculiar  way,  so  that  the  pupil's  mind  may  be  kept 
constantly  active  With  my  own  daughters  I  did 
not  teach  the  treble  notes  till  the  end  of  the  first 
year's  instruction,  the  bass  notes  several  months 
later. 

Friend.     But  what  did  you  do  meanwhile  ? 

Dominie.  You  really  ought  to  be  able  to  an- 
swer that  question  for  yourself  after  hearing  this 
lesson,  and  what  I  have  said  about  it.  I  have  cul- 
tivated a  musical  taste  in  my  pupils,  and  almost 
taught  them  to  be  skilful,  good  players,  without 
knowing  a  note.  I  have  taught  a  correct,  light 
touch  of  the  keys  from  the  fingers,  and  of  whole 
chords  from  the  wrist ;   to  this  I  have  added  the 


12  Piano  and  Song, 

scales  in  all  the  keys  ;  but  these  should  not  be 
taught  at  first,  with  both  hands  togethei.  The 
pupil  may  gradually  acquire  the  habit  of  practis- 
ing them  together  later ;  but  it  is  not  desirable  to 
insist  on  this  too  early,  for  in  playing  the  scales 
with  both  hands  together  the  weakness  of  the 
fourth  finger  is  concealed,  and  the  attention  dis- 
tracted from  the  feeble  tones,  and  the  result  is  an 
unequal  and  poor  scale. 

At  the  same  time,  I  have  in  every  way  cultivated 
the  sense  of  time,  and  taught  the  division  of  the 
bars.  I  have  helped  the  pupils  to  invent  little 
cadences  with  the  dominant  and  sub-dominant 
and  even  little  exercises,  to  their  great  delight  and 
advantage ;  and  I  have,  of  course,  at  the  same  time 
insisted  on  the  use  of  the  correct  fingering.  You 
see  that,  in  order  to  become  practical,  I  begin  with 
the  theory.  So,  for  instance,  I  teach  the  pupil  to 
find  the  triad  and  the  dominant  chord  of  the 
seventh,  with  their  transpositions  in  every  key, 
and  to  practise  them  diligently ;  and  to  make  use 
of  these  chords  in  all  sorts  of  new  figures  and 
passages.  But  all  this  must  be  done  without  haste, 
and  without  tiring  the  pupil  too  much  with  one 
thing,  or  wearing  out  the  interest,  which  is  all- 
important. 


071  Elementary  Piano-forte  Instruction.       13 

After  that,  I  teach  them  to  play  fifty  or  sixty 
tittle  pieces,  which  I  have  written  for  this  purpose. 
They  are  short,  rhythmically  balanced,  agreeable, 
and  striking  to  the  ear,  and  aim  to  develop  grad- 
ually an  increased  mechanical  skill.  I  require  them 
to  be  learned  by  heart,  and  often  to  be  transposed 
into  other  keys  ;  in  which  way  the  memory,  which 
is  indispensable  for  piano  playing,  is  unconsciously 
greatly  increased.  They  must  be  learned  perfectly 
and  played  well,  often,  according  to  the  capacity 
of  the  pupil,  even  finely  ;  in  strict  time  (counting 
aloud  is  seldom  necessary)  and  without  stuml)ling 
or  hesitating ;  first  slowly,  then  fast,  faster,  slow 
again,  staccato,  legato,  piano,  forte,  crescendo,  dimin- 
uendo, &c.  This  mode  of  instruction  I  find  always 
successful ;  but  I  do  not  put  the  cart  before  the 
horse,  and,  without  preyious  technical  instruction, 
begin  my  piano  lessons  with  the  extremely  difficult 
acquirement  of  the  treble  and  bass  notes.  In  a 
word,  I  have  striven,  as  a  psychologist  and  thinker, 
as  a  man  and  teacher,  for  a  many-sided  culture. 
I  have  also  paid  great  attention  to  the  art  of  sing- 
ing, as  a  necessary  foundation  for  piano-playing. 
T  have  devoted  some  talent,  and  at  least  an  enthu- 
siastic, unwearied  love  to  the  subject.  I  have  never 
stood  still;   have  learned  something   of  teaching 


14  Piano  and  Song, 

every  day,  and  have  sought  always  to  improve 
myself ;  I  have  always  been  something  new  and 
different,  in  every  lesson  and  with  every  child  ;  1 
have  always  kept  up  a  cheerful,  joyous  courage, 
and  this  has  usually  kindled  the  same  in  my  pupil, 
because  it  came  from  the  heart.  Moreover,  I  have 
never  been  a  man  of  routine,  have  never  shown 
myself  a  pedant,  who  is  obliged  to  hold  fast  to 
certain  ideas  and  views. 

I  have  lived  up  to  the  century,  and  have  tried 
to  understand  and  to  advance  the  age  ;  have  heard 
every  thing  great  and  fine  in  music,  and  have  in- 
duced my  pupils  also  to  hear  it.  I  have  opposed 
with  determination  all  the  prejudices  and  false 
lendencies  of  the  times,  and  never  have  allowed 
impatient  parents  to  give  advice  about  my  lessons. 
I  have  insisted  upon  a  good  and  well-tuned  instru- 
ment for  my  pupils,  and  have  endeavored  to  merit 
the  love  and  confidence  both  of  my  pupils  and 
of  their  parents.  In  fact,  I  have  devoted  myself 
thoroughly  to  my  calling,  and  have  been  wholly 
a  teacher,  always  fixing  my  eye  on  the  true,  the 
beautiful,  and  the  artistic  ;  and  in  this  way  have 
been  of  service  to  my  pupils. 

Friend.  But  how  do  you  find  parents  who  sym- 
pathize with  your  ideas  and  with  your  lofty  views  ? 


On  Elementary  Piano-forte  Instruction.      15 

Dominie.  I  have  found  that  almost  all  the  par- 
ents of  my  pupils  have  entered  into  my  views,  if 
not  immediately,  at  least  after  they  had  been  pres- 
ent at  a  few  lessons.  In  the  case  of  those  few  who 
would  not  enter  into  them,  I  have  abandoned  the 
lessons ;  but,  nevertheless,  I  have  found  that  my 
time  has  been  fully  occupied.  My  friend,  do  you 
not  think  that  views  like  these  will  assist  in  the 
training  of  young  and  inexperienced  teachers,  who 
are  striving  for  improvement }  and  do  you  not  think 
they  will  be  useful  even  to  those  who  already  possess 
general  mental  culture,  and  who  are  animated  by 
an  ardent  love  for  their  calling }  I  especially  avoid 
giving  here  any  exclusive  method,  a  servile  follow- 
ing of  which  would  be  entirely  contrary  to  my  in- 
tentions, and,  in  fact,  contrary  to  my  method. 

But  as  for  the  rest !  Alas,  all  those  who  do  not 
understand  me,  or  who  choose  to  misunderstand 
me,  those  are  the  worst !  —  especially  the  ill-natured 
people,  the  classical  people  who  bray  about  music, 
stride  straight  to  the  notes,  and  have  no  patience 
till  they  come  to  Beethoven ;  who  foolishly  prate 
and  fume  about  my  unclassical  management,  but 
at  bottom  only  wish  to  conceal  their  own  unskil- 
fulness,  their  want  of  culture  and  of  disinterested- 
ness, or  to  excuse  their  habitual  drudgery.     Lazy 


1 6  Piano  and  Song. 

people  without  talent  I  cannot  undertake  to  inspirit, 
to  teach,  and  to  cultivate. 

This  chapter  will,  almost  by  itself,  point  out  to 
unprejudiced  minds  my  method  of  giving  more 
advanced  instruction,  and  will  show  in  what  spirit 
I  have  educated  my  own  daughters,  even  to  the 
highest  point  of  musical  culture,  without  using  the 
slightest  severity.  It  will,  indeed,  cause  great  vex- 
ation to  the  ill-minded  and  even  to  the  polite  world, 
who  attribute  the  musical  position  of  my  daughters 
in  the  artistic  world  to  a  tyranny  used  by  me,  to 
immoderate  and  unheard-of  "practising,"  and  to 
tortures  of  every  kind ;  and  who  do  not  hesitate 
to  invent  and  industriously  to  circulate  the  most 
absurd  reports  about  it,  instead  of  inquiring  into 
what  I  have  already  published  about  teaching, 
and  comparing  it  with  the  management  which, 
with  their  own  children,  has  led  only  to  senseless 
thrumming. 


An  Evening  Entertainment  at  Herr  ZacUs.  17 


CHAPTER    11. 

AN  EVENING  ENTERTAINMENT  AT   HERR.  ZACH'S. 

DRAMATIS    PERSON^E. 

Herr  Zacvl,  formerly  ajliite-player,  not  very  wealthy. 
His  Wife,  of  the  family  of  Tz.  {rather  sharp-tempered). 
Stock,  her  soft,  i  y  years  old  (is  studying  the  piano  thoroughly') . 
Mr.  Buffalo,  7nusic-master  of  the  family. 
Dominie,  piano-teacher  {rather gruff). 
Cecilia,  his  daughter ^  i^ years  old  {shy). 

Zach  {to  Dominie).  I  regret  that  I  was  unable 
to  attend  the  concert  yesterday.  I  was  formerly 
musical  myself  and  played  on  the  flute.  Your 
daughter,  I  believe,  plays  pretty  well. 

Dominie.  Well,  yes  !  perhaps  something  more 
than  pretty  well.     We  are  in  earnest  about  music. 

Madame,  of  the  Tz.  family  (envious  because  Cecilia 
received  applause  for  her  public  performance  y  ester- 
dayy  and  because  Mr.  Bitffalo  had  been  unable  to 
bring  out  Stock,  —  all  iji  07ie  breath) .  When  did 
your  daughter  begin  to  play }  Just  how  old  is  she 
now  t  Does  she  like  playing  t  They  say  you  are 
very  strict,  and  tie  your  daughters  to  the  piano- 
stool.     How  many  hours  a  day  do  you  make  her 


1 8  Piano  and  Song. 

practise  ?  Don't  you  make  her  exert  herself  too 
much  ?     Has  she  talent  ?     Isn't  she  sickly  ? 

Dominie.  Don't  you  think  she  looks  in  good 
health,  madam,  —  tall  and  strong  for  her  years  ? 

Madame,  of  the  Tz.  family.  But  perhaps  she 
might  look  more  cheerful,  if  she  was  not  obliged  to 
play  on  the  piano  so  much. 

Dominie  {bowing).     I  can't  exactly  say. 

Zach  (suddenly  interrupting,  and  holding  Dominie 
by  the  button-hole).  They  say  you  torment  and  ill- 
treat  your  daughters  dreadfully  ;  that  the  eldest 
was  obliged  to  practise  day  and  night.  Well,  you 
shall  hear  my  Stock  play  this  evening,  who,  some 
time,  by  the  grace  of  God,  is  to  take  the  place 
of  Thalberg  in  the  world.  Now  give  me  your 
opinion  freely  (of  course,  I  was  only  to  praise) ;  we 
should  like  very  much  to  hear  what  you  think 
about  his  playing,  though  perhaps  Mr.  Buffalo  may 
not  agree  with  you. 

(Mr,  Buffalo  is  looking  through  the  music-cas^' 
and  picking  out  all  the  Etudes^  by  listening 
to  which  Dominie  is  to  earn  his  supper). 

Dominie  (resigned  and  foreseeing  that  he  shall  be 
bored).  I  have  heard  a  great  deal  of  the  industry 
of  your  son,  Stock.  What  are  you  studying  now, 
Mr.  Stock? 


An  Evening  Entertainment  at  Herr  ZacKs.  19 

Stock  (in  proud  self -consciousness  y  rather  Sopho- 
moric).  I  play  six  hours  a  day,  two  hours  scales 
with  both  hands  together,  and  four  hours  Etudes. 
I  have  already  gone  through  the  first  book  of 
Clementi  and  four  books  of  Cramer.  Now  I  am 
in  the  Gradus  ad  Pamassum  :  I  have  already  studied 
the  right  fingering  for  it. 

Dominie.  Indeed,  you  are  very  much  in  earnest : 
that  speaks  well  for  you,  and  for  Mr.  Buffalo.  But 
what  pieces  are  you  studying  with  the  Etudes? 
Hummel,  Mendelssohn,  Chopin,  or  Schumann } 

Stock  {contemptuously).  Mr.  Buffalo  can't  bear 
Chopin  and  Schumann.  Mr.  Buffalo  lately  played 
through  Schumann's  "  Kinderscenen,"  that  people 
are  making  such  a  talk  about.  My  mamma,  who 
is  also  musical,  and  used  to  sing  when  papa  played 
the  flute,  said,  "  What  ridiculous  little  things  are 
those  1  Are  they  waltzes  for  children  ?  and  then 
the  babyish  names  for  them !  He  may  play  such 
stuff  to  his  wife,  but  not  to  us." 

Dominie.  Well,  these  "  Kinderscenen  "  are  cu- 
rious little  bits  for  grown-up  men's  hands.  Your 
mother  is  right,  they  are  too  short:  there  cer- 
tainly ought  to  be  more  of  them.  But  they  are 
not  waltzes ! 

Stock.    Indeed,  I  am  not  allowed  to  play  waltzes 


20  Piano  and  Song, 

at  all.  My  teacher  is  very  thorough :  first,  I  shall 
have  to  dig  through  all  the  Gradus  ad  Parnassum  ; 
and  then  he  is  going  to  undertake  a  concerto  of 
Beethoven's  with  me,  and  will  write  the  proper 
fingering  over  it.  I  shall  play  that  in  public  ;  and 
then,  as  he  and  my  aunt  say,  "  I  shall  be  the  death 
of  you  all." 

Mr.  Buffalo  {^ho  has  overheard  him,  steps  up). 
Now,  Herr  Dominie,  how  do  you  like  my  method  .-* 
Perhaps  you  have  a  different  one  t  Nevertheless, 
that  shan't  prevent  our  being  good  friends.  Cer- 
tainly, if  any  thing  is  to  be  accomplished  in  these 
times,  it  is  necessary  to  keep  at  work,  —  that  is 
my  doctrine.  But  Stock,  here,  has  unusual  patience 
and  perseverance.  He  has  worked  through  all 
Cramer's  96  Etudes  in  succession  without  grum- 
bling. He  was  wretched  enough  over  them  ;  but 
his  papa  bought  him  a  saddle-horse  to  ride  round 
on  every  day,  and  he  revived  in  the  fresh  air. 

(Herr  Zach  with  his  wife  and  an  old  aunt  are 
playing  cards  in  the  further  room.) 

Dominie.  But  do  you  not  combine  the  study 
of  musical  pieces  with  the  study  of  exercises,  in 
order  that  the  cultivation  of  the  taste  may  go  hand 
in  hand  with  mechanical  improvement } 

Mr.  Buffalo.     My  dear  friend,  you  are  too  nar- 


A?i  Evening  Eittertainmeftt  at  He7'r  ZacJUs,  21 

row-minded  there,  —  you  make  a  mistake :  taste 
must  come  of  itself,  from  much  playing  and  with 
years.  Your  Cecilia  played  the  two  new  waltzes, 
and  the  Nocturne  of  Chopin,  and  Beethoven's  trio 
very  nicely.  But  then  that  was  all  drilled  into  her : 
we  could  tell  that  well  enough  by  hearing  it,  —  Stock 
and  I. 

Dominie.  Did  it  sound  unnatural  to  you,  — 
mannered  1  and  did  you  think  it  wooden,  dry, 
dull .? 

Mr.  Buffalo.  Not  exactly  that ;  but  the  trouble 
was  it  sounded  studied.  The  public  applauded, 
it  is  true  ;  but  they  don't  know  any  thing.  Stock 
and  I  thought  — 

Dominie.  Do  you  not  think  that  the  taste  for 
a  beautiful  interpretation  may  be  early  awakened, 
without  using  severity  with  the  pupil }  and  that 
to  excite  the  feeling  for  music,  to  a  certain  degree, 
even  in  early  years,  is  in  fact  essential }  The 
neglect  of  this  very  thing  is  the  reason  that  we 
are  obliged  to  listen  to  so  many  players,  who  really 
have  mechanically  practised  themselves  to  death, 
and  have  reduced  musical  art  to  mere  machinery, 
—  to  an  idle  trick  of  the  fingers. 

Mr  Buffalo.  That's  all  nonsense.  I  say  teach 
them  the  scales,  to  run  up  and  down  the  gamut ' 


22  Piano  and  Song, 

Gradus  ad  Parnassum's  the  thing !  Classical,  clas- 
sical !  Yesterday  you  made  your  daughter  play 
that  Trill-Etude  by  Carl  Meyer.  Altogether  too 
fine-sounding !  It  tickles  the  ear,  to  be  sure, 
especially  when  it  is  played  in  such  a  studied 
manner.  We  stick  to  Clementi  and  Cramer,  and 
to  Hummel's  piano-school,  —  the  good  old  school. 
You  have  made  a  great  mistake  with  your  eldest 
daughter. 

Dominie.  The  world  does  not  seem  to  agree 
with  you. 

Madame,  of  the  Tz.  family  (has  listened  and  lost 
a  trick  by  ity  steps  up  quickly,  and  says  maliciously). 
You  must  agree  that  she  would  have  played  better, 
if  you  had  left  her  for  ten  years  with  Cramer  and 
Clementi.  We  don't  like  this  tendency  to  Schu- 
mann and  Chopin.  But  what  folly  to  talk !  One 
must  be  careful  what  one  says  to  the  father  of  such 
a  child  !  It  is  quite  a  different  thing  with  us.  Mr. 
Buffalo  is  bound  to  our  Stock  by  no  bond  of  affec- 
tion. He  follows  out  his  aim  without  any  hesita- 
tion or  vanity,  and  looks  neither  to  the  right  nor 
to  the  left,  but  straightforward. 

Dominie.  I  beg  your  pardon,  madam :  you  may 
be  right,  —  from  your  point  of  view.     We  must  be 


An  Evening  Entertainment  at  Herr  Zack*s,    23 

a  little  indulgent  with  sensitive  people.     But  will 

not  your  son  play  to  us  ? 

(Stock  plays  two  Etudes  of  Clemefttiy  three  of 
Cramer^  and  four  from  the  Gradus,  but  did 
not  eve7t  grow  warm  over  them.  The  hors<t 
his  father  gave  him  has  made  him,  quite 
strong^ 

I  may  be  asked,  "  But  how  did  Stock  play  ? " 
How  ?  I  do  not  wish  t6  write  a  treatise :  my 
plan  is  only  to  give  hints  and  suggestions.  I  am 
not  writing  in  the  interest  of  Stock,  Buffalo, 
&  Co. 

After  the  playing,  we  went  to  supper :  the  oysters 
were  good,  but  the  wine  left  a  little  sharp  taste. 
My  timid  daughter  did  not  like  oysters ;  but  she 
ate  a  little  salad,  and  at  table  listened  instead  of 
talking. 

A  few  innocent  anecdotes  were  related  at  table 
about  horses  and  balls  and  dogs  and  Stock's  future. 
On  taking  leave,  Madame  said  condescendingly  to 
Cecilia,  "If  you  keep  on,  my  dear,  one  of  these 
days  you  will  play  very  nicely." 


24  Piano  and  Song. 


CHAPTER   III. 

MANY   STUDENTS   OF  THE  PIANO  AND  I'EW 
PLAYERS. 

{A  Letter  addressed  to  the  Father  of  a  Piano  PupW) . 

It  is  a  pity  that  you  have  no  sons,  for  a  father 
takes  great  dehght  in  his  sons  ;  but  I  agree  with 
you,  when  you  say  that,  if  you  had  one,  you  would 
rather  he  should  break  stones  than  pound  the 
piano.  You  say  you  have  many  friends  who  re- 
joice in  that  paternal  felicity,  and  whose  sons, 
great  and  small,  bright  and  dull,  have  been  learn- 
ing the  piano  for  three  years  or  more,  and  still  can 
do  nothing.  You  are  doubtless  right ;  and,  further, 
they  never  will  learn  any  thing.  You  ask.  Of  what 
use  is  it  to  man  or  boy  to  be  able  to  stammer 
through  this  or  that  waltz,  or  polonaise  or  mazurka, 
with  stiff  arms,  weak  fingers,  a  stupid  face,  and 
lounging  figure.''  What  gain  is  it  to  art.?  You 
say.  Is  not  time  worth  gold,  and  yet  we  are  offered 
lead  t  And  the  poor  teachers  torment  themselves 
and  the  boys,  abuse  art  and  the  piano  ;  and  at  the 
end  of  the  evening,  in  despair,  torment  their  own 


V 


Many  Studejtts  of  the  Piano  afid  Few  Players,    25 

wives,  after  they  have  all  day  long  been  scolding, 
cuffing,  and  lamenting,  without  success  or  consola- 
tion. You  speak  the  truth.  I  have  had  the  same 
experience  myself,  though  not  to  the  same  degree, 
and  though  I  did  not  bring  home  to  my  wife  a 
dreary  face,  but  only  a  good  appetite.  But  I  did 
not  give  myself  up  to  lamentation  over  piano- 
teaching.  I  gathered  up  courage  and  rose  above 
mere  drudgery.  I  reflected  and  considered  and 
studied,  and  tried  whether  I  could  not  manage 
better,  as  I  found  I  could  not  succeed  with  the 
boys  ;  and  I  have  managed  better  and  succeeded 
better,  because  I  have  hit  upon  a  different  way, 
and  one  more  in  accordance  with  nature  than  that 
used  in  the  piano  schools.  I  laid  down,  as  the  first 
and  most  important  principle,  the  necessity  for 
"the  formation  of  a  fine  touch,"  just  as  singing- 
teachers  rely  upon  the  culture  of  a  fine  tone,  in 
order  to  teach  singing  well.  I  endeavored,  without 
notes,  to  make  the  necessary  exercises  so  interest- 
ing that  the  attention  of  the  pupils  always  increased  ; 
and  that  they  even,  after  a  short  time,  took  great 
pleasure  in  a  sound,  tender,  full,  singing  tone ;  an 
acquirement  which,  unfortunately,  even  many  vir- 
tuosos do  not  possess.  In  this  way,  we  made  an 
opening  at  the  beginning,  not  in  the  middle :  we 


26  Piano  and  Song, 

harnessed  the  horse  before  the  wagon.  The  pupil 
now  obtained  a  firm  footing,  and  had  something 
to  enjoy,  without  being  tormented  at  every  lesson 
with  dry  matters  to  be  learned,  the  advantage  of 
which  was  not  obvious  to  him,  and  the  final  aim 
of  which  he  did  not  perceive.  Until  a  correct 
touch  has  been  acquired,  it  is  of  no  use  to  talk 
about  a  fine  singing  tone.  How  can  we  expect 
to  arouse  an  interest  by  mere  toneless  tinkling, 
while  stiff,  inflexible  fingers  are  struggling  with 
the  notes ;  while  the  pupil  sees  only  his  inabiUty 
to  do  any  thing  right,  and  receives  nothing  but 
blame  from  the  teacher ;  while,  at  the  same  time, 
so  much  is  to  be  kept  in  mind,  and  he  must  be 
required  to  observe  the  time,  and  to  use  the  right 
fingers  t  Poor,  stupid  children  !  Later,  after  teach- 
ing the  notes,  I  did  not  fall  into  the  universal  error 
of  selecting  pieces  which  were  either  too  difficult, 
or  such  as,  though  purely  musical,  were  not  well 
adapted  to  the  piano  ;  but  I  chose  short,  easy  pieces, 
without  prominent  difficulties,  in  the  correct  and 
skilful  performance  of  which  the  pupil  might  take 
pleasure.  Consequently,  they  were  studied  care- 
fully, slowly,  willingly,  and  with  interest,  which 
last  is  a  great  thing  gained  ;  for  the  pupil  rejoiced 
>n  the  anticipation  of  success.     The  struggle  over 


Many  Students  of  the  Piano  and  Few  Players,     27 

single  difficult  places  destroys  all  pleasure,  palsies 
talent,  creates  disgust,  and,  what  is  worse,  it  tends 
to  render  uncertain  the  confirmation  of  the  faculty 
already  partially  acquired, —  of  bringing  out  a  fine 
legato  tone^  with  loose  and  quiet  fingers  and  a 
yieldingy  movable  wrist,  without  the  assistance  of 
the  arm. 

You  suppose  that  talent  is  especially  wanting, 
and  not  merely  good  teachers  ;  for  otherwise,  with 
the  zealous  pursuit  of  piano-playing  in  Saxony,  we 
should  produce  hundreds  who  could,  at  least,  play 
correctly  and  with  facility,  if  not  finely.  Here  you 
are  mistaken :  we  have,  on  the  contrary,  a  great 
deal  of  musical  talent.  There  are,  also,  ev^n  in  the 
provincial  cities,  teachers  who  are  not  only  musical, 
but  who  also  possess  so  much  zeal  and  talent  for 
teaching  that  many  of  their  pupils  are  able  to  play 
tolerably  well.  I  will  add  further,  that  the  taste 
for  music  is  much  m^ore  cultivated  and  improved, 
even  in  small  places,  by  singing-societies  and  by 
public  and  private  concerts,  than  was  formerly  the 
case.  We  also  have  much  better  aids  in  instruc- 
tion books,  Etudes,  and  suitable  piano  pieces ;  but 
still  we  find  everywhere  "jingling"  and  "piano- 
banging,"  as  you  exj-ress  it,  and  yet  no  piano- 
playing. 


2S  Piano  and  Song, 

Let  us  consider  this  aspect  of  the  subject  a  little 
more  closely.  In  the  first  place,  the  proper  basis 
for  a  firm  structure  is  wanting.  The  knowledge 
of  the  notes  cannot  afford  a  proper  basis,  except 
in  so  far  as  it  is  of  service  in  the  execution  of  a 
piece.  Of  what  use  are  the  notes  to  a  singer,  if 
he  has  no  attack,  and  does  not  understand  the 
management  of  the  voice  t  of  what  use  to  the 
piano-learner,  if  he  has  no  touch,  no  tone  on 
the  piano-forte.  Is  this  to  be  acquired  by  playing 
the  notes  ?     But  how  then  is  it  to  be  learned } 

One  thing  more.  Owing  to  an  over-zeal  for 
education,  children  are  kept  in  school  from  seven 
to  ten  hours  in  a  day,  and  then  they  are  required 
to  work  and  comrAit  to  memory  in  their  free  hours, 
when  they  ought  to  be  enjoying  the  fresh  air.  But 
when  are  they  then  to  have  their  piano  lessons } 
After  they  have  escaped  from  the  school-room, 
and  consequently  when  the  children  are  exhausted 
and  their  nerves  unstrung.  What  cruelty !  In- 
stead of  bread  and  butter  and  fresh  air,  piano 
lessons !  The  piano  ought  to  be  studied  with 
unimpaired  vigor,  and  with  great  attention  and 
interest,  otherwise  no  success  is  to  be  expected. 
Besides  this,  much  writing,  in  itself,  makes  stiff, 
inflexible  fingers.     But  when  is  the  child  to  find 


Ma7iy  Students  of  the  Piano  and  Few  Players,     29 

time  for  the  necessary  practice  of  the  piano  lessons  ? 
Well,  in  the  evening,  after  ten  o'clock,  for  refresh- 
ment, while  papa  and  mamma  are  in  bed !  And 
now,  after  the  school-days  are  happily  over,  and  the 
children  have  possibly  retained  their  red  cheeks, 
then  their  occupations  in  life  lay  claim  to  their 
time ;  or,  if  they  are  girls,  they  are  expected  to 
busy  themselves  with  embroidery,  knitting,  sewing, 
crochet,  making  clothes,  house-work,  tea  parties, 
and  alas !  with  balls ;  and  now,  too,  comes  the  time 
for  lovers.  Do  you  imagine  that  the  fingers  of 
pupils  sixteen  years  old  can  learn  mechanical 
movements  as  easily  as  those  of  children  nine 
years  old  ?  In  order  to  satisfy  the  present  de- 
mands in  any  degree,  the  technique  should  be 
settled  at  sixteen.  Under  all  these  circumstances, 
we  find  the  best  teachers  become  discouraged,  and 
fall  into  a  dull  routine,  which  truly  can  lead  to  no 
success. 

In  conclusion,  I  beg  you  to  invite  the  piano 
teacher,  Mr.  Strict,  to  whom  you  have  confided 
the  instruction  of  your  only  daughter,  Rosalie,  to 
pay  me  a  visit,  and  I  will  give  him  particular  direc- 
tions for  a  gradual  development  in  piano-playing, 
up  to  Beethoven's  op.  109  or  Chopin's  F  minor 
concerto.     But   I  shall  find  him  too  fixed  in  his 


30  Piano  and  Song, 

own  theories,  too  much  of  a  composer,  too  con- 
ceited and  dogmatic,  and  not  sufficiently  practical, 
to  be  a  good  teacher,  or  to  exert  much  influence ; 
and,  indeed,  he  has  himself  a  stiff,  restless,  clumsy 
touch,  that  expends  half  its  efforts  in  the  air.  He 
talks  bravely  of  etudes,  scales,  &c. ;  but  the  ques- 
tion with  regard  to  these  is  how  they  are  taught. 
The  so-called  practising  of  exercises,  without  hav- 
ing previously  formed  a  sure  touch,  and  carefully 
and  skilfully  fostering  it  is  not  much  more  use- 
ful than  playing  pieces.  But  I  hear  him  reply, 
with  proud  and  learned  self -consciousness :  "  Music, 
music !  Classical,  classical !  Spirit !  Expression  ! 
Bach,  Beethoven,  Mendelssohn  ! "  That  is  just  the 
difficulty.  Look  at  his  pupils,  at  his  pianists ! 
See  how  his  children  are  musically  stifled,  and  hear 
his  daughter  sing  the  classical  arias  composed  by 
himself !     However,  it  is  all  musical !     Farewell. 


A  Conversation  with  Mrs.  Solid,  31 


CHAPTER   IV. 

A   CONVERSATION    WITH    MRS.   SOLID,  AND    FOUR 
LESSONS   TO   HER  DAUGHTER. 

Mrs.  Solid.  I  should  be  glad  to  understand  how 
it  is  that  your  daughters  are  able  to  play  the 
numerous  pieces  which  I  have  heard  from  them 
so  correctly  and  intelligently,  without  bungling 
or  hesitation,  and  with  so  much  expression,  and 
the  most  delicate  shading ;  in  fact,  in  such  a  mas- 
terly manner.  From  my  youth  upwards,  I  have 
had  tolerable  instruction.  I  have  played  scales  and 
Etudes  for  a  long  time  ;  and  have  taken  great  pleas- 
ure in  studying  and  industriously  practising  nu- 
merous compositions  of  Kalkbrenner  and  Hummel, 
under  their  own  direction.  I  have  even  been 
celebrated  for  my  talent ;  but,  nevertheless,  I  never 
have  had  the  pleasure  of  being  able  to  execute  any 
considerable  piece  of  music  to  my  own  satisfaction 
or  that  of  others  ;  and  I  fear  it  will  be  the  same 
with  my  daughter  Emily. 

Dominie.  In  order  to  give  a  satisfactory  answer 
to  your  question,  I  will  lay  before  you  a  few  of  my 


32  Piano  and  Song. 

principles  and  opinions  in  respect  to  musical  culture, 
with  special  reference  to  piano-playing.  Educated 
ladies  of  the  present  time  make  greater  pretensions 
and  greater  demands  than  formerly  in  regard  to 
music  and  musical  execution ;  and  consequently 
their  own  performances  do  not  usually  correspond 
with  their  more  or  less  cultivated  taste  for  the 
beautiful,  which  has  been  awakened  by  their  care- 
ful general  education.  Thus  they  are  aware  that 
they  are  not  able  to  give  satisfaction,  either  to  them- 
selves or  to  others  ;  and  from  this  arises  a  want  of 
that  confidence  in  their  own  powers,  which  should 
amount  almost  to  a  consciousness  of  infallibility, 
in  order  to  produce  a  satisfactory  musical  perform- 
ance. This  confidence  has  its  foundation  in  a  full, 
firm,  clear,  and  musical  touch,  the  acquisition  of 
which  has  been,  and  is  still,  too  much  neglected  by 
masters  and  teachers.  A  correct  mechanical  facil- 
ity and  its  advanced  cultivation  rest  upon  this  basis 
alone;  which,  moreover,  requires  special  attention 
upon  our  softly  leathered  pianos,  which  are  much 
more  difficult  to  play  upon  than  the  old-fashioned 
instruments.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  a 
correct  touch,  which  alone  can  produce  a  good 
execution,  will  come  of  itself,  through  the  practice 
of  Etudes  and  scales.     Even  with  masters,  it  is 


A  Conversation  with  Mrs,  Solid.  33 

unusual  to  meet  with  a  sound,  fine,  unexception- 
able touch,  like  that  of  Field  and  Moscheles,  and 
among  the  more  recent  that  of  Thalberg,  Chopin, 
Mendelssohn,  and  Henselt. 

I  will  speak  now  of  the  selection  of  pieces.  Our 
ladies  are  not  contented  to  play  simple  music,  which 
presents  few  difficulties  and  requires  no  involved 
fingering  ;  and  from  which  they  might  gradually 
advance  by  correct  and  persevering  study  to  more 
difficult  pieces.  They  at  once  seize  upon  grand 
compositions  by  Beethoven,  C.  M.  von  Weber, 
Mendelssohn,  Chopin,  and  others,  and  select  also, 
for  the  sake  of  variety,  the  bravoura  pieces  of  Liszt, 
Thalberg,  Henselt,  &c.  How  can  they  expect  to 
obtain  a  command  of  such  pieces,  when  their  early 
education  was  insufficient  for  our  exalted  demands 
in  mechanical  skill,  and  their  subsequent  instruc- 
tion has  also  been  faulty  and  without  method  ? 

If  you  were  to  request  me  to  supply  in  some 
degree  your  own  deficiencies,  before  I  proceed  to 
the  further  education  of  your  daughter,  I  should 
not  begin  with  the  wisdom  of  our  friend  Mr.  Buf- 
falo :  "  Madam,  you  must  every  day  practise  the 
major  and  minor  scales,  in  all  the  keys,  with  both 
hands  at  once,  and  also  in  thirds  and  in  sixths  ; 
and  you  must  work  three  or  four  hours  daily  at 
a*  c 


34  Piano  and  Song. 

Etudes  of  Clementi,  Cramer,  and  Moscheles  ;  other- 
wise, your  playing  will  never  amount  to  any  thing." 
Such  advice  has  frequently  been  given  by 
teachers  like  Mr.  Buffalo,  and  is  still  daily  in- 
sisted on  ;  but  we  will,  for  the  present,  set  such 
nonsense  aside.  I  shall,  in  the  first  place,  endeavor 
to  improve  your  touch,  which  is  too  thin,  feeble, 
and  incorrect  ;  which  makes  too  much  unnecessary 
movement,  and  tries  to  produce  the  tone  in  the  air, 
instead  of  drawing  it  out  with  the  keys.  This  will 
not  require  a  long  time,  for  I  have  well-formed, 
young  hands  to  work  upon,  with  skilful  fingers  in 
good  condition.  I  will  employ,  for  this  purpose, 
several  of  the  short  exercises  mentioned  in  my  first 
chapter,  and  shall  require  them  to  be  transposed 
into  various  keys,  and  played  without  notes,  in 
order  that  you  may  give  your  whole  attention  to 
your  hands  and  fingers.  Above  all  things,  I  wish 
you  to  observe  how  I  try  to  bring  out  from  the 
piano  the  most  beautiful  possible  tone,  with  a  quiet 
movement  of  the  fingers  and  a  correct  position  of 
the  hand  ;  without  an  uneasy  jerking  of  the  arm, 
and  with  ease,  lightness,  and  sureness.  I  shall  cer- 
tainly insist  upon  scales  also,  for  it  is  necessary  to 
pay  great  care  and  attention  to  passing  the  thumb 
under  promptly  and  quietly,  and    to  the   correct. 


A  Conversation  with  Mrs,  Solid.  35 

easy  position  of  the  arm.  But  I  shall  be  content 
with  the  practice  of  scales  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
each  day,  which  I  require  to  be  played,  according 
to  my  discretion,  staccato^  legato^  fast,  slow,  forte^ 
piano,  with  one  hand  or  with  both  hands,  according 
to  circumstances.  This  short  time  daily  for  scale- 
practice  is  sufficient,  provided,  always,  that  I  have 
no  stiff  fingers,  or  unpractised  or  ruined  structure 
of  the  hand  to  educate.  For  very  young  beginners 
with  weak  fingers,  the  scales  should  be  practised 
only  piano,  until  the  fingers  acquire  strength. 

I  should  continue  in  this  way  with  you  for  two 
weeks,  but  every  day  with  some  slight  change. 
After  a  short  time,  I  would  combine  with  this  prac- 
tice the  study  of  two  or  three  pieces,  suitably  ar- 
ranged for  the  piano  ;  for  example,  Mozart's  minuet 
in  E  flat,  arranged  by  Schulhoff,  and  his  drinking- 
song,  or  similar  pieces.  We  will,  at  present,  have 
nothing  to  do  with  Beethoven.  You  are,  perhaps, 
afraid  that  all  this  might  be  tedious  ;  but  I  have 
never  been  considered  tedious  in  my  lessons.  I 
wish  you,  for  the  present,  not  to  practise  any 
pieces  or  exercises  except  in  my  presence,  until  a 
better  touch  has  been  thoroughly  established.  You 
must  also  give  up  entirely,  for  a  time,  playing  your 
previous  pieces ;  for  they  would  give  you  oppor- 


36  Piano  and  Son^. 

tunity  to  fall  again  into  your  faulty  mode  of  playing. 
I  shall  also  soon  put  in  practice  one  of  my  maxims 
in  teaching  ;  viz.,  that,  merely  for  the  acquisition  of 
mechanical  facility,  all  my  pupils  shall  be  in  the 
habit  of  playing  daily  some  appropriate  piece,  that 
by  its  perfect  mastery  they  may  gain  a  fearless 
confidence.  They  must  regard  this  piece  as  a  com- 
panion, friend,  and  support.  I  wish  you  to  learn  to 
consider  it  a  necessity  every  day,  before  practising 
or  studying  your  new  piece  of  music,  to  play  this 
piece,  even  if  it  is  done  quite  mechanically,  two  or 
three  times,  first  slowly,  then  faster  ;  for  without 
ready,  flexible  fingers,  my  teaching  and  preaching 
will  be  valueless. 

Mrs.  Solid.  But  what  pieces,  for  instance  } 
Dominie.  For  beginners,  perhaps  one  or  two  of 
Hunten's  Etudes  Melodiques  ;  a  little  later,  one  of 
Czerny's  very  judicious  Etudes  from  his  opus  740  ; 
and  for  more  advanced  pupils,  after  they  are  able  to 
stretch  easily  and  correctly,  his  Toccata,  opus  92, 
—  a  piece  which  my  three  daughters  never  give 
up  playing,  even  if  they  do  not  play  it  every  day. 
They  practise  pieces  of  this  description  as  a  rem- 
edy for  mechanical  deficiencies,  changing  them 
every  three  or  four  months.  In  the  selection  of 
these,  I  aim  especially  at   the  practice  of  thirds, 


A  Conversation  with  Mrs.  Solid,  yj 

trills,  stretches,  scales,  and  passages  for  strength- 
ening the  fourth  finger  ;  and  I  choose  them  with 
reference  to  the  particular  pieces,  sonatas,  varia- 
tions, concertos,  &c.,  which  they  are  at  the  time 
studying.  Likewise,  in  the  choice  of  the  latter, 
I  pursue  a  different  course  from,  that  which  the 
teachers  alluded  to  above  and  others  are  accus- 
tomed to  follow ;  though  I  hope  my  management 
is  never  pedantic,  but  cautious,  artistic,  and  psycho- 
logic. It  is  easy  to  see  that  many  teachers,  by 
giving  lessons  continually,  particularly  to  pupils 
without  talent,  are  led,  even  with  the  best  inten- 
tions, to  fall  into  a  mere  routine.  We  find  them 
often  impatient  and  unsympathetic,  especially  in 
the  teaching  of  their  own  compositions  ;  and  again, 
by  their  one-sided  opinions  and  capricious  require- 
ments, by  devoting  attention  to  matters  of  small 
importance,  and  by  all  sorts  of  whimsicaUties,  they 
contract  the  intellectual  horizon  of  their  pupils,  and 
destroy  their  interest  in  the  lessons. 

Mrs.  Solid.  Your  careful  mode  of  proceeding 
is  certainly  extremely  interesting  and  convincing  ; 
but  allow  me  to  request  an  answer  to  various  objec- 
tions and  considerations  which  are  now  and  then 
brought  forward,  particularly  by  teachers. 

Dominie.     To  that  I  am  quite  accustomed.    The 


38  Piano  and  Smg. 

good  and  the  beautiful  never  obtain  uncontested 
recognition.  No  one  has  ever  offered  any  new 
improvement,  and  fearlessly  spoken  the  truth, 
without  being  attacked,  defamed,  and  despised,  or 
entirely  misunderstood.  Our  age  can  show  many 
proofs  of  this  ;♦  for  example,  let  us  remember 
homoeopathy  and  magnetism.  Clara  Wieck  was 
not  appreciated  in  Leipzig  until  she  had  been  ad- 
mired in  Paris  ;  nor  Marie  Wieck,  because  she 
does  not  play  exactly  as  her  sister  Clara  does.  The 
same  is  the  case  with  my  present  book,  which 
relentlessly  treads  upon  the  incredible  follies  and 
lamentable  errors  of  the  times.  I  am  quite  pre- 
pared for  opposition  of  any  kind. 

Mrs.  Solid.  I  should  like  to  suggest  to  you 
that  there  are  other  teachers  who  have  given  them- 
selves a  great  deal  of  trouble,  and  who  are  very 
particular  ;  but  it  is  not  their  good  fortune  to  have 
daughters  Uke  yours  to  educate. 

Dominie.  Have  given  themselves  a  great  deal 
of  trouble  ?  What  do  you  mean  by  that .?  If  they 
do  not  take  pains  in  the  right  way,  or  at  the  right 
time  and  place,  it  is  all  labor  in  vain.  Of  what  use 
is  mere  unskilful,  stupid  industry  ?  For  instance, 
when  a  teacher,  in  order  to  correct  a  stiff  use  of 
the  fingers  and  wrist,  and  the  general  faulty  touch 


A  Conversation  with  Mrs.  Solid.  3^ 

of  his  pupil,  gives  some  wonderful  ^tude  or  a  piece 
with  great  stretches  and  arpeggios  for  the  left 
hand,  and  gives  himself  unwearied  trouble  over  it, 
it  is  a  proof  of  abundant  pains-taking;  but  it  is  labor 
thrown  away,  and  only  makes  the  imperfect  mode 
of  performance  the  worse. 

And  now  with  regard  to  my  daughters.  It  has 
been  their  fortune  to  have  had  me  for  a  father  and 
teacher:  they  certainly  have  talent,  and  I  have 
been  successful  in  rousing  and  guiding  it.  Envy, 
jealousy,  pride,  and  offended  egotism  have  tried  as 
long  as  possible  to  dispute  this  ;  but  at  last  the 
effort  is  abandoned.  They  say  that  it  requires  no 
art  to  educate  such  talent  as  theirs,  that  it  almost 
"  comes  of  itself."  This  assertion  is  just  as  false 
and  contrary  to  experience  as  it  is  common,  even 
with  educated  and  thoughtful  people,  who  belong 
to  no  clique.  Lichtenburg  says  :  "  It  is  just  those 
things  upon  which  everybody  is  agreed  that  should 
be  subjected  to  investigation."  Well,  I  have  made 
a  thorough  investigation  of  these  accusations,  with 
regard  to  my  three  daughters,  and  all  the  talented 
pupils  whom  I  have  been  able  to  educate  for  good 
amateurs,  and,  according  to  circumstances,  for  good 
public  performers.  The  great  number  of  these  suf- 
fices for  my  justification.     I  must  add,  still  further, 


40  Piano  and  Song. 

that  it  is  exactly  the  "  great  talents  "  for  singing,  or  foi 
the  piano,  who  require  the  most  careful,  thoughtful, 
and  prudent  guidance.  Look  around  at  the  multi- 
tude of  abortive  talents  and  geniuses !  Talented 
pupils  are  just  the  ones  who  have  an  irresistible 
desire  to  be  left  to  their  own  discretion  ;  they  es- 
teem destruction  by  themselves  more  highly  than 
salvation  by  others. 

Mrs.  Solid.  But  it  is  said  that  you  have  been 
able  to  educate  only  your  three  daughters,  and 
none  others  for  public  performers. 

Dominie.  Madam,  you  cannot  be  serious.  If 
I  were  to  declaim  Leporello's  list,  you  might  justly 
consider  it  an  exaggeration  ;  but  if,  instead  of  re- 
plying to  you,  I  should  urge  you  to  read  what  I 
have  written  on  the  subject,  or  if  I  should  present 
your  daughter  Emily  to  you,  after  three  or  four 
years,  as  a  superior  performer,  you  might  pardon 
my  vanity  and  my  ability.  I  do  not  possess  any 
magic  wand,  which  envy  and  folly  could  not  impute 
to  me  as  an  offence.  Nevertheless,  unless  circum- 
stances were  very  adverse,  I  have,  at  all  events, 
been  able  in  a  short  time  to  accomplish  for  my 
pupils  the  acquisition  of  a  good,  or  at  least  an 
improved,  musical  touch ;  and  have  thus  laid  a 
foundation,  which  other  teachers  have  failed  to  do 


A  Conversation  with  Mrs.  Solid,  41 

by  their  method,  or  rather  want  of  method.  But 
you  have  something  else  on  your  mind  ? 

Mrs.  Solid.  You  anticipate  me.  I  was  educated 
in  Berlin,  and  in  that  capital  of  intelligence  a  taste 
prevails  for  opposition,  negation,  and  thorough 
criticism.  How  can  you  educate  artists  and  vir 
tuososy  when  you  yourself  are  so  little  a  virtuoso^ 

e 

You  are  not  even  a  composer  01;  learned  contra- 
puntist. A  teacher  of  music  wins  much  greater 
consideration,  if  he  himself  plays  concertos  and 
composes  pretty  things,  and  if  he  can  calculate 
and  give  vent  to  his  genius  in  double  and  triple 
fugues,  and  in  inverse  and  retrograde  canons.  You 
cannot  even  accompany  your  pupils  with  the  vio- 
lin or  flute,  which  is  certainly  very  useful  and 
improving. 

Dominie.  The  egotist  is  seldom  capable  of  giv- 
ing efficient  instruction :  that  lies  in  the  nature  of 
the  case.  Even  a  child  will  soon  perceive  whether 
the  teacher  has  a  sole  eye  to  its  interest,  or  h^ 
other  and  personal  aims  in  view.  The  former 
bears  good  fruits,  the  latter  very  doubtful  ones. 
I  will  say  nothing  about  the  stand-point  of  those 
egotistical  teachers  whose  first  aim  is  to  bring 
themselves  into  prominence,  and  who  at  the  same 
time  are  perhaps  travelling  public  performers  and 


42  Piano  and  Song, 

composers.  They  are,  it  may  be,  chiefly  occupied 
with  double  and  triple  fugues  (the  more  inverted 
the  more  learned),  and  they  consider  this  knowl- 
edge the  only  correct  musical  foundation.  At  the 
same  time,  they  often  possess  a  touch  like  that 
of  your  brother,  Mr.  Strict,  mentioned  in  my  third 
chapter,  and  are  utterly  devoid  of  true  taste  and 
feeling.  While  pursuing  their  fruitless  piano  les- 
sons, which  are  quite  foreign  to  their  customary 
train  of  thought,  they  regard  their  occupation  only 
as  a  milch  cow ;  and  they  obtain  the  money  of 
sanguine  parents,  and  sacrifice  the  time  of  their 
pupils.  You  may  try  such  agreeable  personages 
for  yourself:  I  could  wish  you  no  greater  punish- 
ment. 

And  now  I  will  speak  of  the  violin  and  the  flute. 
I  have  never  availed  myself  of  those  expedients  ; 
it  is  a  method  which  I  have  never  learned.  I  will 
describe  for  your  amusement  a  few  interesting 
incidents,  which  I  had  an  opportunity  to  witness 
in  a  not  inconsiderable  city,  while  on  a  journey 
with  my  daughters.  The  teacher  with  the  flute 
was  a  gentle,  quiet,  mild  musician ;  he  was  on 
very  good  terms  with  his  pupil,  and  indulged  in 
no  disputes  ;  every  thing  went  on  peaceably,  with- 
out passion,  and  "  in  time."     They  both  twittered 


A  Conversation  with  Mrs,  Solid,  43 

tenderly  and  amicably,  and  were  playing,  in  cele- 
bration of  the  birthday  of  an  old  aunt  who  was 
rather  hard  of  hearing,  a  sonata  by  Kuhlau,  which 
was  quite  within  the  power  of  both.  The  old  aunt, 
who,  of  course,  could  hear  but  little  of  the  soft,  flute 
tones,  and  the  light,  thin,  modest,  square  piano, 
kept  asking  me :  "  Is  not  that  exquisite  ?  what  do 
you  think  of  it  ? "  I  nodded  my  head  and  praised 
it,  for  the  music  was  modest  and  made  no  pre- 
tension. 

I  will  pass  next  to  the  violin.  The  possessor 
of  this  was  a  type  of  presumption,  vulgarity,  and 
coarseness,  and  understood  how  to  make  an  im- 
pression on  his  pupils  and  their  parents  by  the 
assumption  of  extraordinary  abihty.  He  conse- 
quently enjoyed  a  certain  consideration.  He  was, 
moreover,  a  good  musician,  and  played  the  violin 
tolerably  in  accompanying  the  piano,  in  Beethoven's 
opus  17  and  24.  In  this  portrait  you  have  a  speci- 
men of  the  violinist  as  a  piano  teacher.  Of  course 
he  understood  nothing  of  piano-playing,  and  took 
no  interest  in  Wieck's  rubbish  about  beauty  of 
tone ;  he  cared  only  for  Beethoven.  He  now  and 
then  tried  to  sprawl  out  a  few  examples  of  finger- 
ing, in  a  spider-like  fashion ;  but  they  were  seldom 
successful.     His  pupils  also  possessed  the  peculiar 


44  Piano  and  Song. 

advantage  of  playing  "  in  time,"  when  they  did  not 
stick  fast  in  the  difficult  places.  At  such  times 
he  always  became  very  cross  and  severe,  and  talked 
about  "  precision  ; "  in  that  way  instilling  respect. 
His  pupils  did  not  jingle,  but  they  had  a  peculiarly 
short,  pounding  touch  ;  and  floundered  about  among 
the  keys  with  a  sort  of  boldness,  and  with  resolute, 
jerking  elbows.  They  certainly  had  no  tone,  but 
the  violin  was  therefore  heard  the  better ;  and 
after  each  performance  we  might  have  heard,  "  Am 
I  not  the  first  teacher  in  Europe  1 " 

Mrs.  Solid.  You  certainly  have  shown  up  two 
ridiculous  figures. 

Dominie.  True  ;  but  I  leave  it  to  every  one  to 
make  themselves  ridiculous. 

Mrs.  Solid.  I  am  very  glad  that  you  have 
furnished  me  here  with  the  criticisms  of  which  I 
stand  in  need  ;  for  I  might  otherwise  have  been 
in  danger  of  supplying  you  with  an  example  at  the 
next  soiree,  perhaps  at  the  banker's,  Mr.  Gold's. 
But,  as  I  should  like  to  hear  your  answer,  I  will 
listen  to,  and  report  to  you,  what  is  said  in  a 
certain  though  not  very  numerous  clique,  who  are 
opposed  to  you  and  your  labors. 

Dominie.  Those  people  would  act  more  wisely, 
if  they  were  to  study  my  writings  ;  in  which  I  will 


Four  Piano  Lessons.  45 

make  any  corrections,  if  there  is  any  thing  that  I 
can  add  to  them,  for  the  advantage  of  truth,  right, 
and  beauty. 

And  now  allow  me.  Miss  Emily,  since  you  are 
pretty  well  advanced,  and  are  not  quite  spoiled,  to 
show  you  in  a  few  lessons  how  to  study  these  vari- 
ations by  Herz  (Les  Trois  Graces,  No.  i,  on  a  theme 
from  "  The  Pirates  ").  They  are  not  easy  ;  but  I 
will  teach  them  in  a  way  that  shall  not  weary  you 
or  give  you  a  distaste  for  them.  I  have  intention- 
ally chosen  these  variations,  because  they  do  not  lay 
claim  to  great  musical  interest  ;  and,  consequently, 
their  mode  of  performance,  their  execution,  gives 
them  their  chief  value.  Moreover,  they  possess 
the  disadvantage  for  teaching  that  they  are  of  un- 
equal difficulty,  and  require,  therefore,  the  more 
skill  on  the  part  of  the  teacher  to  compensate  for 
this. 

First  Lesson,  Miss  Emily,  these  are  very  clear, 
graceful  variations,  which  require  an  extremely  nice, 
delicate  execution  ;  and,  especially,  a  complete  me- 
chanical mastery  of  their  various  difficulties.  Al- 
though these  variations  may  seem  to  you  too  easy, 
I  am  governed  in  the  selection  of  them  by  the 
maxim  that  "  what  one  would  learn  to  play  finely 
must  be  below  the  mechanical  powers  of  the  pupil." 


4-6  Piano  and  Song, 

The  theme  of  the  Italian  song,  which  is  the  basis 
of  these  variations,  is  very  well  chosen,  and  you 
must  take  great  pains  to  execute  it  as  finely  as 
possible,  and  to  produce  a  singing  effect  upon  the 
piano-forte.  After  the  piece  is  thoroughly  learned, 
you  will  be  greatly  aided  in  the  production  of  thfs 
imitation  of  singing  by  the  careful  and  correct  use 
of  the  pedal  which  raises  the  dampers.  The  theme 
iocs  not  offer  great  mechanical  difficulties  ;  but  it 
requires  a  loose,  broad,  full,  and  yet  tender  touch, 
a  good  portamento  J  and  a  clear  and  delicately  shaded 
delivery  ;  for  you  must  remember  that  "  in  the  per- 
formance of  a  simple  theme  the  well-taught  pupil 
may  be  recognized." 

Emily.  But  you  do  not  begin  at  the  beginning : 
there  is  an  introduction  to  the  piece. 

Dominie.  Perhaps  we  shall  take  that  at  the 
list :  I  can't  tell  yet  when.  A  great  many  things 
in  my  instruction  will  seem  to  you  misplaced :  it, 
may  be  that  the  final  result  will  restore  to  me  the 
approval  which  I  desire. 

Emily.  Do  you  always  give  such  a  preliminary 
description  before  you  begin  a  piece  with  a  pupil  ? 

Dominie.  I  like  to  do  so ;  for  I  wish  to  create 
an  interest  in  the  piece,  and  to  state  in  connection 
my  principles  and  views  about  music  and  piano- 


Four  Piano  Lessons.  47 

playing.  Now  we  will  try  the  theme,  fii^st  quite 
slowly  ;  and  then  the  first  easy  variation,  with  the 
last  bars  at  the  end  of  it,  which  introduce  the  theme 
once  more,  and  which  should  be  played  very  clearly 
and  smoothly.  We  will  then  take  from  the  intro- 
duction only  the  right  hand,  and  study  the  most 
appropriate  fingering  for  it.  I  fiever  write  this 
out  fully ;  but  only  intimate  it  here  and  there,  in 
order  not  to  interfere  with  the  spontaneous  activity 
of  the  learner.  We  will  also  take  a  few  portions 
for  the  left  hand  from  the  finale.  In  these  you 
must  carefully  observe  the  directions  which  are 
given  for  its  performance,  and  try  to  execute  every 
thing  correctly  and  clearly  ;  for  a  careless  bass  is 
prejudicial  to  the  very  best  playing  in  the  treble. 

My  lesson  is  now  at  an  end  ;  for  we  have  taken 
up  a  good  deal  of  time  at  the  beginning  with  the 
scales,  and  passing  the  thumb  under  correct^, 
with  the  different  species  of  touch,  and  the  appro- 
priate exercises  for  these.  I  do  not  wish  you  yet 
to  practise  the  first  variation  with  both  hands  to- 
gether, for  you  do  not  yet  strike  the  skipping  bass 
evenly  enough  and  with  sufficient  precision ;  and 
you  might  accustom  yourself  to  inaccuracies,  espe- 
cially as  your  left  hand  has,  as  usual,  been  neglected, 
and  is  inferior  to  the  right  in  lightness  and  rapidity 


48  Piano  and  Song. 

We  shall  find  this  a  hindrance ;  for  the  object  is 
not  to  practise  much,  but  to  practise  correctly. 
Therefore  play  these  passages  first  slowly,  then 
quicker,  at  last  very  fast ;  then  slow  again,  some- 
times staccato,  sometimes  legato,  piano,  and  also 
moderately  loud  ;  but  never  when  the  hands  and 
fingers  are  fatigued,  therefore  not  too  continuously  ; 
but  many  times  in  the  course  of  the  day,  and  always 
with  fresh  energy.  At  present,  you  need  not  play 
fortissimo,  or  with  the  pedal :  for  in  that  way  you 
might  be  led  into  a  tramping  style,  with  a  weak, 
stiff  touch,  and  a  habit  of  striking  at  the  keys  with 
straight  fingers  ;  and  that  I  do  not  like.  We  will 
look  for  the  true  and  the  beautiful  in  a  very  differ- 
ent treatment  of  the  piano  ;  and,  first  of  all,  in  a 
clear,  unaffected,  healthy  performance,  free  from 
any  forced  character. 

Second  Lesson.  Transposition  of  the  triads  and 
dominant  chord  in  their  three  positions,  and  in 
various  kinds  of  measure ;  and  practice  of  these, 
with  careful  attention  to  a  correct  touch  and  loose 
wrist ;  cadences  on  the  dominant  and  sub-domi- 
nant ;  practice  of  the  skipping  bass  in  the  theme, 
and  in  the  first  and  third  variations,  with  practice 
in  striking  and  leaving  the  chords,  observing  care- 
fully the  precise  value  of  the  notes.     You  must 


Four  Piano  Lessons*  49 

attend  also  to  striking  them  not  too  forcibly  or 
too  feebly,  and  take  special  care  with  regard  to 
the  fourth  and  fifth  fingers,  which  do  not  easily 
give  the  tone  with  so  full  a  sound  as  the  other 
three  fingers.  Now  we  will  try  the  theme  with 
both  hands  together,  and  consider  the  correct  ex- 
pression, and  likewise  the  piano  and  forte,  as  well 
as  the  nicest  crescendo  and  diminuendo.  We  will 
then  take  the  first  easy  variation,  of  which  you 
have  already  acquired  a  mastery :  we  will  play  it 
exactly  a  tempo  and  with  the  bass  chords,  which 
should  usually  be  given  staccato,  and  which  must  be 
played  with  delicacy  and  flexibility ;  but  it  will  be 
well  for  you  to  practise  first  the  bass  part  once 
alone,  in  order  that  you  may  hear  whether  all  the 
tones  sound  evenly.  Now  the  first  variation  will 
go  pretty  well  with  both  hands  together ;  with 
increasing  mastery  of  it,  the  requisite  shading  in 
the  right  hand  can  be  produced.  As  your  right 
hand  is  not  yet  tired,  play  to  me  now  several  times, 
first  slowly  and  then  faster,  the  passages  which  I 
gave  you  from  the  introduction.  When  the  right 
hand  becomes  a  little  fatigued,  take  a  portion  from 
the  finale  for  the  left  hand.  You  may  also  try 
over  the  adagio  ;  but  I  recommend  for  your  special 
practice  the  part  for  the  right  hand  in  the  third 


50  Piano  and  Song, 

variation.  You  cannot  make  a  mistake  about  it, 
if  you  do  not  try  to  play  it  too  fast,  and  if  you 
carefully  observe  the  fingering  indicated.  Now  I 
will  play  the  theme  to  you,  as  nearly  as  possible  as 
I  heard  the  famous  tenor  Rubini  sing  it.  You  see 
I  place  the  fingers  gently  upon  the  keys  and  avoid 
raising  them  too  high,  in  order  not  to  injure  the 
nice  connection  of  the  tones,  and  to  produce  a 
singing  tone  as  far  as  possible.  At  the  end  of  the 
lesson  you  will  play  the  theme  to  me  once  more. 
...  I  perceive  you  play  it  with  too  much  embar- 
rassment, and  not  freely  enough.  It  will  go  still 
better  two  days  hence,  if  you  play  it  frequently 
during  that  time,  slowly,  and  become  quite  accus- 
tomed to  it.  In  addition,  you  will  practise  indus- 
triously every  thing  which  we  have  gone  through, 
especially  the  first  variation  ;  but  you  must  always 
do  it  with  interest,  and  never  with  weariness.  Of 
course  you  will  practise  ivithout  notes  all  the  little 
exercises  for  the  touch,  and  for  the  fourth  and  fifth 
fingers,  and  the  cadences. 

Third  Lesson.  Other  little  exercises  ;  trills,  scales 
with  shading  for  one  hand  alone  and  for  both  to- 
gether;  the  skipping  basses,  &c.  We  will  begin 
to-day  with  the  bass  part  of  the  second  variation. 
You  observe  that  often  there  are  even  eighth  notes 


Four  Piano  Lessons.  51 

in  the  treble,  while  in  the  bass  there  are  even  trip- 
let eighth  notes.  In  order  to  play  these  properly 
together,  even  with  only  mechanical  correctness, 
it  is  necessary  that  the  left  hand  shall  acquire  a 
perfectly  free  and  independent  movement,  and  shall 
bring  out  the  bass  with  perfect  ease.  You  must 
pay  special  attention  to  any  weak  notes,  and  ac- 
custom yourself  not  to  give  the  last  triplet,  in  each 
bar,  and  the  last  note  of  this  triplet,  too  hurriedly, 
too  sharply,  or  with  too  little  tone.  Notice  how 
much  difficulty  this  equal  playing  of  the  triplets 
occasions  to  the  right  hand,  which  moves  in  even 
eighth  notes.  While  you  play  the  left  hand,  I  will 
play  the  right :  you  must  listen  as  little  as  possible 
to  my  playing,  and  preserve  your  own  independence. 
You  must  learn  to  play  this  variation  entirely  by 
yourself  with  both  hands  together ;  but  we  must 
not  be  too  much  in  a  hurry  about  it,  and  must  give 
time  to  it.  All  restless  urging,  all  hurry,  leads  to 
inaccuracies  in  playing.  You  have  learned  enough 
for  to-day  ;  but  you  may  play  the  other  variations, 
with  the  whole  finale,  straight  through,  that  you 
may  not  get  into  the  habit  of  stopping  at  the  diffi- 
cult passages  which  you  have  already  learned. 

Fourth    Lesson.      New    exercises    for    striking 
stretches,  and  for  the  extension  of  the  hand  and 


52  Piano  and  Song. 

fingers  ;  but  this  must  be  done  prudently,  that  the 
sound  touch,  which  is  always  of  the  first  impor- 
tance, shall  not  be  endangered.  Besides  this,  the 
repetition  of  the  exercises  learned  in  the  preced- 
ing lessons ;  but  all  to  be  played  with  a  certain 
shading  and  delicacy.  We  will  to-day  begin  at 
the  beginning,  with  the  introduction.  I  will  now 
make  amends  for  my  want  of  regularity,  and  show 
you  that  I  can  begin  at  the  beginning,  like  other 
people ;  but  all  in  good  time.  To-day,  in  those 
portions  of  which  you  have  acquired  a  mastery, 
we  will  give  particular  attention  to  the  expression, 
and  to  the  correct  use  of  the  pedal.  If  what  I  sug- 
gest to  you  with  regard  to  the  shading  at  any  place 
does  not  entirely  correspond  to  your  understanding 
of  the  piece,  or  to  your  feeling,  you  must  at  once 
express  your  difference  of  opinion,  and  ask  me  for 
the  reason  of  my  view.  You,  perhaps,  do  not  like 
to  play  this  place  crescendo,  but  diminuendo.  Very 
well ;  only  play  it  finely  in  your  own  way ;  it  will 
also  sound  very  well  so.  I  proposed  the  crescendo 
there,  because  the  feeling  grows  more  intense ; 
perhaps,  in  the  next  lesson,  you  will  acknowledge 
that  I  was  right.  This  place  I  should  play  a  very 
little  slower,  though  without  a  striking  ritardando ; 
then  a  little  faster  here ;  do  you  think  it  ought  tu 


Four  Piaito  Lessons.  53 

be  played  crescendo  or  diminuendo  ?  We  must  try 
in  this  variation  to  present  nicely  shaded  little 
pictures.  Here  you  might  use  more  energy  and 
decision.  This  place  you  should  play  merely  with 
a  correct  mechanical  execution,  but  without  special 
expression  ;  for  we  require  shadow,  in  order  that 
the  succeeding  idea,  eminently  suggestive  of  the 
theme,  shall  be  brought  out  with  more  brilliancy. 
In  general,  the  whole  must  be  made  to  sound  nat- 
ural, without  musical  pretension,  and  as  if  it  were 
the  production  of  the  moment ;  and  should  not 
create  a  distorted,  overdrawn  effect,  or  exhibit 
modern  affectation. 

Each  piece  that  I  undertake  to  teach  you  will 
give  me  an  opportunity  to  talk  to  you  a  great  deal 
about  the  correct  expression  in  playing,  and  about 
its  innumerable  beauties,  shades,  and  delicacies ; 
while  I  shall  pay  constant  attention  to  the  produc- 
tion of  a  beautiful  singing  tone.  The  next  piece 
will  be  Chopin's  Notturno  in  E  flat ;  for  your  touch 
has  already  gained  in  fulness,  and  is  now  unobjec- 
tionable. 

This  is  the  tyranny  with  regard  to  correct  execu- 
tion, which  stupidity  and  folly  have  taxed  me  with 
having  exercised  towards  my  daughters.  "  Expres- 
sion must  come  of  itself ! "     How  cheap  is  this 


54  Piano  and  Song, 

lazy  subterfuge  of  the  followers  of  routine,  and  of 
teachers  wanting  in  talent !  We  see  and  hear  a 
great  many  virtuosos ,  old  and  young,  with  and  with- 
out talent,  renowned  and  obscure.  They  either 
play  in  an  entirely  mechanical  manner  and  with 
faulty  and  miserable  touch,  or  else,  which  is  less 
bearable,  they  strut  with  unendurable  affectation 
and  produce  musical  monstrosities.  In  order  to 
conceal  their  indistinct  mode  of  execution,  they 
throw  themselves  upon  the  two  pedals,  and  are 
guilty  of  inconceivable  perversions. 

But  let  us  proceed  with  your  instruction.  You 
already  play  your  piece  intelligently,  with  interest 
and  enthusiasm,  and  without  any  of  the  modern, 
empty  affectations.  If  any  other  passage  should 
occur  to  you  at  the  fermata  in  the  second  part, 
which  shall  lead  appropriately  to  the  dominant. 
try  it ;  and  combine  it,  perhaps,  with  that  which 
is  written.  You  may  make  two  passing  shakes 
upon  the  four  final  sixteenth  notes  ;  but  you  must 
play  them  very  distinctly  and  clearly,  and  the  last 
one  weaker  than  the  first,  in  order  to  give  it  a 
delicate  effect,  as  is  done  by  singers.  With  light 
variations  of  this  kind,  it  is  allowable  to  introduce 
various  ornaments,  provided  they  are  in  good  taste 
and  nicely  executed.     The  case  is  quite  different  in 


Four  Piano  Lessons,  55 

the  performance  of  the  compositions  of  Beethoven, 
Mozart,  Weber,  and  others,  where  reverence  for  the 
composer  requires  a  stricter  interpretation,  although 
even  this  is  sometimes  carried  to  a  point  of  exagger- 
ation and  pedantry.  Now  try  the  first  variation 
once  more.  That  is  better :  you  already  play  the 
skipping  bass  with  more  precision,  more  briskly 
and  evenly.  We  begin  to  perceive  the  correct 
speaking  tone  in  the  bass,  and  a  certain  delicacy 
and  freedom  in  the  treble.  You  need  not  play 
both  hands  together  in  the  second  variation,  which 
is  the  most  difficult,  until  the  next  lesson.  To-day 
you  may  first  play  the  bass  alone,  while  I  play  the 
treble  ;  and  afterwards  we  will  change  parts,  and 
you  can  play  the  treble  while  I  play  the  bass.  But 
we  will  not  go  farther  than  the  fourth  variation. 
I  have  not  much  more  to  say  about  this  piece.  We 
will  begin  next  a  beautiful  Etude  by  Moscheles, 
which  I  recommend  highly  to  you,  .in  order  to 
strengthen  and  give  facility  to  the  fourth  and  fifth 
fingers:  this  may  be  your  companion  and  friend 
during  the  next  two  or  three  months. 

Mrs.  Solid.  Your  very  careful  mode  of  instruc- 
tion assures  me  that  Emily  will  acquire  a  mastery 
of  these  variations,  and  will  learn  to  perform  them 
finely. 


56  Piano  and  Song. 

Dominie.  She  will  be  able,  after  a  week  or  two, 
to  execute  this  piece  with  understanding  and  con- 
fidence, and  to  play  it  to  her  own  satisfaction  and 
that  of  others ;  while  her  awakened  consciousness 
of  its  beauties  and  of  her  ability  to  interpret  it 
will  preserve  her  interest  for  it. 

The  objection  is  quite  untenable  "  that  children 
lose  their  pleasure  in  a  piece,  if  they  are  obliged 
to  practise  it  until  they  know  it."  Do  people  sup- 
pose that  it  gives  more  pleasure,  when  the  teacher 
begins  in  a  stupid,  helpless  way,  and  tries  to  make 
the  pupil  swallow  several  pieces  at  once,  while 
he  continually  finds  fault  and  worries  them,  than 
when  the  pupil  is  enabled  to  play  a  few  short, 
well-sounding  exercises,  with  perfect  freedom  and 
correctness,  and  to  take  delight  in  his  success  } 
or  when  afterwards,  or  perhaps  at  the  same  time, 
he  is  conscious  that  he  can  play  one  piece  nicely 
and  without  bungling,  while  it  is  all  accomplished 
in  a  quiet  and  pleasant  manner } 

Mrs.  Solid.  Do  you  pursue  the  same  course 
with  longer  and  more  difficult  pieces  } 

Dominie.     Certainly,  on  the  same  principle. 

Mrs.  Solid.  But,  if  you  are  so  particular  about 
every  piece,  and  always  take  so  much  pains  to  im- 
prove the  touch,  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  Emily 


A  Conversation  with  Mrs.  Solid.  57 

will  be  able  to  execute  several  long  pieces  and  can 
learn  other  new  ones  beside. 

Dominie.  Do  you  wish  your  daughter  to  learn 
to  jingle  on  the  piano,  in  order  to  become  musical  t 
or  shall  she  grow  more  musical  by  learning  to  play 
finely  t  I  am  sure  the  latter  is  your  wish,  as  it  is 
mine :  otherwise,  you  would  be  contented  with  an 
ordinary  teacher.  You  must  consider  that,  when 
she  has  made  a  beginning,  by  learning  to  play  one 
piece  thoroughly  and  quite  correctly,  the  following 
pieces  will  be  learned  more  and  more  quickly  ;  for 
she  will  have  acquired  a  dexterity  in  playing,  as 
you  may  observe  with  yourself  and  with  every  one. 
To  be  able  to  drum  off  fifty  pieces  in  an  imperfect 
manner  does  not  justify  the  expectation  that  the 
fifty-first  piece  will  be  learned  more  easily  or  bet- 
ter ;  but  to  attain  a  perfect  mastery  of  four  or  five 
pieces  gives  a  standard  for  the  rest. 

In  this  way,  and  by  mechanical  studies,  such 
as  I  have  begun  with  Emily,  the  greatest  ease  in 
reading  at  sight  is  gradually  developed,  in  which 
all  my  pupils  excel,  when  they  have  remained  long 
enough  under  my  instruction,  and  in  which  my 
daughters  are  pre-eminent.  But  for  this  it  is  nec- 
essary to  continue  to  study  single  pieces,  industri- 
ously and  artistically,  and  with  great  exactness ;  for 


$8  Piano  and  Song, 

otherwise  the  practice  of  reading  at  sight,  which 
often  amounts  to  a  passion,  leads  very  soon  to 
slovenliness  in  piano-playing  and  to  more  or  less 
vulgar  machine-music. 

Mrs.  Solid.  I  am  more  and  more  convinced 
that  a  style  of  instruction  which  is  illogical,  inter- 
mittent, superficial,  and  without  method,  can  lead 
to  no  good  result,  or  at  least  to  nothing  satis- 
factory, even  with  extraordinary  talents  ;  and  that 
the  unsound  and  eccentric  manifestations  and  cari- 
catures of  art,  which  cause  the  present  false  and 
deplorable  condition  of  piano-playing,  are  the  con- 
sequence of  such  a  prevalent  mode  of  instruction. 


On  the  Pedal,  59 


CHAPTER  V. 

ON    THE    PEDAL. 

I  HAVE  just  returned  exhausted  and  annihi- 
lated from  a  concert,  where  I  have  been  hear- 
ing' the  piano  pounded.  Two  grand  bravoura 
movements  have  been  thundered  off,  with  the 
pedal  continually  raised ;  and  then  were  suddenly- 
succeeded  by  a  soft  murmuring  passage,  during 
which  the  thirteen  convulsed  and  quivering  bass 
notes  of  the  fortissimo  were  all  the  time  re- 
sounding. It  was  only  by  the  aid  of  the  con- 
cert programme  that  my  tortured  ears  could 
arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  this  confusion  of 
tones  was  meant  to  represent  two  pieces  by 
Dohler  and  Thalberg. 

Cruel  fate  that  invented  the  pedal !  I  mean  the 
pedal  which  raises  the  dampers  on  the  piano.  A 
grand  acquisition,  indeed,  for  modern  times  !  Good 
heavens  !  Our  piano  performers  must  have  lost 
their  sense  of  hearing !  What  is  all  this  growling 
and  buzzing }    Alas,  it  is  only  the  groaning  of  the 


6o  Piano  and  Song* 

wretched  piano-forte,  upon  which  one  of  the  mod- 
ern virtuosos,  with  a  heavy  beard  and  long  hang- 
ing locks,  whose  hearing  has  deserted  him,  is 
blustering  away  on  a  bravoura  piece,  with  the 
pedal  incessantly  raised,  —  with  inward  satisfaction 
and  vain  self-assertion !  Truly  time  brings  into 
use  a  great  deal  that  is  far  from  beautiful :  does, 
then,  this  raging  piano  revolutionist  think  it  beau- 
tiful to  bring  the  pedal  into  use  at  every  bar  ? 
Unhappy  delusion. 

But  enough  of  this  serious  jesting.  Hummel 
never  used  the  pedal.  He  was  an  extremist ;  and, 
in  his  graceful,  clear,  elegant,  neat,  though  not 
grand  playing,  often  lost  fine  effects,  which  would 
have  been  produced  by  the  correct  and  judicious 
use  of  the  pedal ;  particularly  on  the  instruments 
of  Stein,  Brodmann,  Conrad  Graff,  and  others  then 
in  use,  which  were  usually  lightly  leathered,  and 
had  a  thin,  sharp  tone.  The  use  of  the  pedal,  of 
course  always  allowing  it  to  fall  frequently  with 
precision,  was  especially  desirable  in  the  upper 
treble,  in  cases  where  the  changes  of  the  harmony 
were  not  very  frequent ;  for  the  tone  of  those 
instruments,  although  sweet  and  agreeable,  had 
not  much  depth,  and  the  action  had  but  little 
strength  and  elasticity.     But  on  our  instruments, 


On  the  Pedal.  61 

frequently  too  softly  leathered,  which  have  a  full 
tone,  and  are  so  strong  and  penetrating,  especially 
in  the  bass,  it  is  enough  to  endanger  one's  sense 
of  hearing  to  be  subjected  to  such  a  senseless, 
incessant,  ridiculous,  deafening  use  of  the  pedal; 
frequently,  moreover,  combined  with  a  hard,  stiff 
touch,  and  an  unsound,  incorrect  technique.  A 
musical  interpretation  in  any  degree  tolerable  is 
out  of  the  question.  You  cannot  call  that  art,  it 
cannot  even  be  called  manual  labor :  it  is  a  freak 
of  insanity ! 

A  few  words  to  the  better  sort  of  players.  The 
foot-piece  to  the  right  on  the  piano-forte  raises  the 
dampers,  and  in  that  way  makes  the  tones  resound 
and  sing,  and  takes  from  them  the  dryness,  short- 
ness, and  want  of  fulness,  which  is  always  the 
objection  to  the  piano-forte,  especially  to  those 
of  the  earlier  construction.  This  is  certainly  an 
advantage ;  the  more  the  tone  of  the  piano-forte 
resembles  singing,  the  more  beautiful  it  is.  But, 
in  order  not  to  injure  the  distinctness  and  detract 
from  the  clear  phrasing  of  the  performance,  a 
very  skilful  and  prudent  use  of  the  pedal  is 
necessary  in  rapid  changes  of  harmony,  particu- 
larly in  the  middle  and  lower  portion  of  the  in- 
strument. 


62  Piano  and  Song, 

You  all  use  the  pedal  too  much  and  too  often, 
especially  on  large,  fine  concert  pianos  of  the  new 
construction,  which,  with  their  heavy  stringing, 
have  in  themselves  a  fuller,  more  vibrating  tone  ; 
at  least  you  do  not  let  it  fall  frequently  enough, 
and  with  precision.  You  must  listen  to  what  you 
are  playing.  You  do  not  play  for  yourselves  alone  ; 
frequently  you  play  to  hearers  who  are  listening 
for  the  first  time  to  the  pieces  you  are  performing. 
Try  a  few  passages  without  pedal,  —  for  instance, 
those  in  which  the  changes  of  the  harmony  succeed 
each  other  rapidly,  even  in  the  highest  treble, — 
and  see  what  repose,  what  serene  enjoyment,  what 
refreshment  is  afforded,  what  delicate  shading  is 
brought  out.  Or  at  first  listen,  and  try  to  feel  it  in 
the  playing  of  others  ;  for  your  habit  is  so  deeply 
rooted  that  you  no  longer  know  when  and  how 
often  you  use  the  pedal.  Chopin,  that  highly 
gifted,  elegant,  sensitive  composer  and  performer, 
may  serve  as  a  model  for  you  here.  His  widely 
dispersed,  artistic  harmonies,  with  the  boldest  and 
most  striking  suspensions,  for  which  the  funda- 
mental bass  is  essential,  certainly  require  the  fre- 
quent use  of  the  pedal  for  fine  harmonic  effect. 
But,  if  you  examine  and  observe  the  minute,  criti- 
cal directions  in  his  compositions,  you  can  obtain 


On  the  Pedal,  63 

from  him  complete  instruction  for  the  nice  and 
correct  use  of  the  pedal. 

By  way  of  episode  to  my  sorrowful  lecture  on 
the  pedal,  we  will  take  a  walk  through  the  streets 
some  beautiful  evening.  What  is  it  that  we  hear 
in  almost  every  house  ?  Unquestionably  it  is 
piano-playing ;  but  what  playing  !  It  is  generally 
nothing  but  a  continual  confusion  of  different 
chords,  without  close,  without  pause ;  slovenly 
passages,  screened  by  the  raised  pedal ;  varied 
by  an  empty,  stiff,  weak  touch,  relying  upon  the 
pedal  for  weight.  We  will  escape  into  the  next 
street.  Oh,  horrors  !  what  a  thundering  on  this 
piano,  which,  by  the  way,  is  sadly  out  of  tune ! 
It  is  a  grand  —  that  is,  a  long,  heavy  —  6tude,  with 
the  most  involved  passages,  and  a  peculiar  style 
of  composition,  probably  with  the  title  "  On  the 
Ocean,"  or  "  In  Hades,"  or  "  Fancies  of  the  In- 
sane ; "  pounded  off  with  the  pedal  raised  through 
the  most  marvellous  changes  of  harmonies.  Finally, 
the  strings  snap,  the  pedal  creaks  and  moans  ; 
conclusion,  —  c,  c  sharp,  d,  d  sharp  resound  to- 
gether through  a  few  exhausted  bars,  and  at  last 
die  away  in  the  warm,  soft,  delicious  air.  Uni- 
versal applause  from  the  open  windows  !  But  who 
is  the  frantic  musician  who  is  venting  his  rage  or 


64  Piano  and  Song, 

this  piano?  It  is  a  Parisian  or  other  travelling 
composer,  lately  arrived  with  letters  of  recommen- 
dation, who  has  just  been  giving  a  little  rehearsal 
of  what  we  may  expect  to  hear  shortly  in  a  concert 
at  the  '•  Hdtel  de  Schmerz." 


The  Soft-Pedal  Sentiment,  65 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  SOFT-PEDAL  SENTIMENT. 

You  exclaim  :  "  What  is  that  ?  —  a  sentiment 
for  the  soft  pedal !  a  sentiment  of  any  kind  in  our 
tinies !  m'ost  of  all,  a  musical  sentiment !  I  have 
not  heard  of  such  a  thing  in  a  concert-room  for  a 
long  time ! " 

When  the  foot-piece  to  the  left  on  the  piano 
is  pressed  down,  the  key-board  is  thereby  moved 
to  the  right ;  so  that,  in  playing,  the  hammers 
strike  only  two  of  the  three  strings,  in  some 
pianos  only  one.  In  that  way  the  tone  is  made 
weaker,  thinner,  but  more  singing  and  more  ten- 
der. What  follows  from  this  ?  Many  performers, 
seized  with  a  piano  madness,  play  a  grand  bravoura 
piece,  excite  themselves  fearfully,  clatter  up  and 
down  through  seven  octaves  of  runs,  with  the  pedal 
constantly  raised,  —  bang  away,  put  the  best  piano 
out  of  tune  in  the  first  twenty  bars,  —  snap  the 
strings,  knock  the  hammers  off  their  bearings, 
perspire,  stroke  the  hair  out  of  their  eyes,  ogle 


66  Piano  and  Song. 

the  audience,  and  make  love  to  themselves.  Sud- 
denly they  are  seized  with  a  sentiment !  They 
come  to  a  piano  or  pianissimOy  and,  no  longer 
content  with  one  pedal,  they  take  the  soft  pedal 
while  the  loud  pedal  is  still  resounding.  Oh, 
what  languishing !  what  soft  murmuring,  and  what 
a  sweet  tinkling  of  bells  !  what  tenderness  of  feel- 
ing !  what  a  soft-pedal  sentiment  I  The  ladies  fall 
into  tears,  enraptured  by  the  pale,  long-haired  young 
artist. 

I  describe  here  the  period  of  piano  mania,  which 
has  just  passed  its  crisis ;  a  period  which  it  is 
necessary  to  have  lived  through,  in  order  to  be- 
lieve in  the  possibility  of  such  follies.  When,  in 
the  beginning  of  this  century,  the  piano  attained 
such  conspicuous  excellence  and  increased  power, 
greater  technical  skill  could  not  fail  to  be  called 
out ;  but,  after  a  few  years,  this  degenerated  into 
a-  heartless  and  worthless  dexterity  of  the  fingers, 
which  was  carried  to  the  point  of  absurdity  and 
resulted  in  intellectual  death.  Instead  of  aiming  to 
acquire,  before  aL  dnngs,  a  beajciful,  full  tone  on 
these  rich-sounding  instruments,  which  admit  of 
so  much  and  such  delicate  shading,  essential  to 
true  excellence  of  performance,  the  object  was 
only  to  increase  mechanical  facility,  and  to  culti- 


The  Soft-pedal  Sentiment.  67 

vate  almost  exclusively  an  immcMierately  powerful 
and  unnatural  touchy  and  to  improve  the  fingering 
in  order  to  make  possible  the  execution  of  pas- 
sages, roulades,  finger-gymnastics,  and  stretches, 
which  no  one  before  had  imagined  or  considered 
necessary.  From  this  period  dates  the  introduc- 
tion of  virtuoso  performances  with  their  glittering 
tawdriness,  without  substance  and  without  music, 
and  of  the  frightful  eccentricities  in  art,  accom- 
panied by  immeasurable  vanity  and  self-conceit,  — 
the  age  of  "  finger-heroes."  It  is  indeed  a  melan- 
choly reflection,  for  all  who  retain  their  senses, 
that  this  charlatanry  is  made  the  solitary  aim  of 
numberless  ignoble  performers,  sustained  by  the 
applause  of  teachers  and  composers  equally  base. 
It  is  sad  to  see  how,  engaged  in  artificial  formal- 
isms and  in  erroneous  mechanical  studies,  players 
have  forgotten  the  study  of  tone  and  of  correct 
delivery,  and  that  few  teachers  seek  to  improve 
either  themselves  or  their  pupils  therein.  Other- 
wise they  would  see  and  understand  that,  on  a 
good  piano,  such  as  are  now  to  be  found  almost 
everywhere,  it  is  possible  with  correct  playing, 
founded  on  a  right  method,  to  play,  without  exter- 
nal aids,  fortey  fortissimo ,  piano ^  pianissimo^  —  in 
a  word,  with  every  degree  of  shading,  and  with  at 


6S  Piano  and  Song* 

least  formal  expression ;  and  that  this  style  of 
playing,  with  the  requisite  mechanical  skill,  sounds 
far  more  pure,  and  is  more  satisfactory  than  when 
a  feeling  is  affected  through  the  crude,  unskilful, 
and  absurd  use  of  the  pedal,  especially  of  the  soft 
pedal  of  which  we  are  now  speaking.  This  affec- 
tation only  gives  one  more  proof  of  our  unhealthy, 
stupid,  and  unmusical  infancy  in  piano  perform- 
ances. A  good-natured  public,  drummed  up  and 
brought  together  by  patient  persuasion  and  by 
urgent  recommendations,  of  which  virtuosos  can 
obtain  an  abundance  (for  the  tormented  cities 
which  they  have  visited  cannot  otherwise  get  rid 
of  them),  attend  these  concerts  and  listen  to  dozens 
of  such  inexperienced  piano-players.  One  plays 
exactly  like  another,  with  more  or  less  faulty 
mechanical  execution  ;  and  none  of  them  are  able, 
with  all  their  thumping  and  caressing  of  the  keys, 
to  bring  out  from  the  instrument  a  broad,  healthy, 
full,  and  beautiful  tone,  delicately  shaded  and  dis- 
tinct even  to  the  softest  pp.  But,  instead  of  this, 
they  fall  into  a  pedal  sentiment ;  Le.y  they  play  with 
outside  pretension,  and  with  intrinsic  emptiness. 

!  You  unworthy  performers,  who  have  so  dis- 
gusted the  artistic  public  with  piano-playing  that 
they  will  no  longer  listen  to  fine,  intelligent,  sen- 


The  Soft-Pedal  Sefitiment  69 

sible  artists,  whose  dignity  does  not  permit  them 
to  force  themselves  into  the  concert-hall,  or  to  drag 
people  into  it  from  the  streets !  you  base  mor- 
tals, who  have  exposed  this  beautiful  art  to 
shame !  I  implore  you  to  abandon  the  concert 
platform,  your  battle-field  !  Hack  at  the  piano  no 
longer!  Find  positions  on  a  railroad  or  in  a  fac- 
tory. There  you  may  perhaps  make  yourselves 
useful ;  while  by  the  lessons  you  give  (for  it  usually 
comes  to  that,  after  you  have  travelled  all  over  the 
world)  you  will  only  ruin  our  young  people,  now 
growing  up  with  promising  talent  for  piano-play- 
ing, and  will  produce  successors  like  yourselves, 
but  not  artists. 

I  must  whisper  one  thing  more  in  your  ear.  I 
will  say  nothing  about  simple  truthfulness,  about 
tenderness  and  sincerity  of  feeling,  or  wholesome 
refinement,  about  poetry,  inspiration,  or  truly  im- 
passioned playing.  But,  if  your  ears  are  not  already 
too  much  blunted,  you  should  be  able  to  discover, 
at  least  in  a  very  few  minutes,  on  any  instrument, 
unless  it  is  of  the  worst  sort,  or  has  already  been 
battered  to  pieces  by  you,  how  far  you  can  carry 
the  pianissimo  and  fortissimo,  and  still  preserve 
the  tone  within  the  limits  of  beauty  and  simplicity. 
You  will  thus  be  able  to  interpret  a  piece  with 


yo  Piano  and  Song. 

at  least  superficial  correctness,  without  mortally 
wounding  a  cultivated  ear  by  exaggerations  and 
by  maltreatment  of  the  instrument  and  its  two 
pedals. 

This  style  of  playing  has  nevertheless  found 
its  numerous  defenders  and  admirers  in  our  cen- 
tury, which  has  made  every  thing  possible.  This 
senseless  enslavement  and  abuse  of  the  piano  has 
been  said  to  be  "  all  the  rage ; "  a  fine  expression 
of  our  piano  critics  to  justify  insane  stamping  and 
soft-pedal  sentimentality. 

How  far  what  I  have  here  said  relates  to  our 
modern  errors  in  singing,  and  how  far  it  may  be 
applied  to  them,  I  leave  to  the  intelligence  of 
my  readers  and  to  my  explanations  in  subsequent 
chapters. 

To  return  to  my  theme :  I  have  still  one  word 
on  this  subject  for  rational  players.  Even  they 
use  the  soft  pedal  too  much  and  too  often,  and  at 
unsuitable  places ;  for  instance,  in  the  midst  of  a 
piece,  without  any  preparatory  pause  ;  in  melodies 
which  require  to  be  lightly  executed  ;  or  in  rapid 
passages  which  are  to  be  played  piano.  This  is 
especially  to  be  noticed  with  players  who  are 
obliged  to  use  instruments  of  a  powerful  tone 
and  stiff,  heavy  action,  on  which  it  is  difficult  to 


The  Soft- Pedal  Sentiment.  ^t 

insure  a  delicate  shading  in  piano  and  forte.  For 
this  reason,  a  sensible  and  experienced  teacher, 
whose  sole  aim  is  the  true  and  the  beautiful, 
should  make  the  attainment  of  an  elastic  touch 
and  well-grounded  style  of  playing  an  indispen- 
sable requirement.  I  prefer  that  the  soft  pedal 
should  be  used  but  seldom,  and,  if  the  pedal  which 
raises  the  dampers  is  used  at  the  same  time,  it 
must  be  only  with  the  greatest  nicety.  The  soft 
pedal  may  be  used  in  an  echo  ;  but  should  be 
preceded  by  a  slight  pause,  and  then  should  be 
employed  throughout  the  period,  because  the  ear 
must  accustom  itself  gradually  to  this  tender, 
maidenly,  sentimental  tone.  There  must  again 
be  a  slight  pause  before  the  transition  to  the  usual 
more  masculine  tone,  with  the  three  strings.  The 
soft  pedal  is,  moreover,  most  effective  in  slow  move- 
ments with  full  chords,  which  allow  time  to  bring 
out  the  singing  tone,  in  which  consists  the  advan- 
tage of  the  stroke  of  the  hammers  on  two  strings 
alone. 


^2  Piano  and  Song, 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  MUSICAL  TEA-PARTY  AT  THE  HOUSE  OF  JOHN 
SPRIGGINS. 

I  ONCE  more  introduce  my  readers  to  the  scenes 
of  my  active,  musical  life,  with  an  invitation  to 
accompany  me  to  a  musical  tea-party.  My  object 
is,  in  a  short  and  entertaining  manner,  to  remove 
very  common  prejudices  ;  to  correct  mistaken  ideas  ; 
to  reprove  the  followers  of  mere  routine  ;  to  oppose 
to  malicious  cavilling  the  sound  opinions  of  an  ex- 
perienced teacher ;  to  scourge  dogmatic  narrow- 
mindedness  ;  and  in  this  way  to  advance  my  method 
of  instruction. 

DRAMATIS    PERSONiE. 

John  Spriggins  (Jovial  and  narrow-minded,  a  member  of 

an  ancient  musical  family) . 
Mrs.  Spriggins  {irritable,  envious,  and  malicious). 
Lizzie,  their  daughter,  i-},  years  old  {lively  and  pert). 
Shepard,  her  piano-teacher  {very  laborious). 
Dominie,  a  piano-master  {very  stern). 
Emma,  his  daughter,  a  pianist  {silent  and  musical), 

Mrs.  Spriggins  {to  Dominie).  So  this  is  your 
daughter  who  is  to  give  a  concert  to-morrow }     She 


A  Musical  Tea-Party,  25 

is  said  to  have  less  talent  than  your  eldest  daughter. 
With  her,  they  say,  nothing  requires  any  labor. 

Dominie.  You  must  ask  my  eldest  daughter 
herself  about  that.  I  have  hitherto  held  the  opin- 
ion that  both  of  them  played  correctly,  musically, 
and  perhaps  finely,  and  yet  both  differently :  that 
is  the  triumph  of  a  musical  education.  But  this 
cheap  comparative  criticism  is  already  too  thor- 
oughly worn  out.  Pray  what  else  have  you  on 
your  mind. 

Mrs.  S.  Have  you  not  yet  sent  your  younger 
daughter  to  school  ?  They  say  your  eldest  could 
neither  read  nor  write  at  fourteen  years  of  age. 

Dominie.  My  daughters  always  have  a  private 
teacher  in  the  house,  in  connection  with  whom  I 
instruct  them  in  music,  in  order  that  their  literary 
education  shall  occupy  fewer  hours,  and  that  they 
shall  have  time  left  for  exercise  in  the  open  air 
to  invigorate  the  body  ;  while  other  children  are 
exhausted  with  nine  hours  a  day  at  schools  and 
institutes,  and  are  obliged  to  pay  for  this  with  the 
loss  of  their  health  and  the  joyousness  of  youth. 

Mrs.  S.  It  is  very  well  known  that  your  daughters 
are  obliged  to  play  the  whole  day  long. 

Dominie.  And  not  all  night  too  ?  You  prob- 
ably might  explain  their  skill  in  that  way.  I  am 
4 


74  Piano  and  Song, 

astonished  that  you  have  not  heard  that  too,  since 
you  have  picked  up  so  many  shocking  stories  about 
me  and  my  daughters. 

Mrs.  S.  (dismisses  the  subject^  and  asks  suddenly). 
Now  just  how  old  is  your  daughter  Emma.-* 

Dominie.  She  is  just  sixteen  years  and  seven 
weeks  old. 

Mrs.  S.     Does  she  speak  French } 

Dominie.  Oui,  elle  parle  Fran^ais,  and  in  musi- 
cal tones,  too,  —  a  language  which  is  understood 
all  over  the  world. 

Mrs.  S.  But  she  is  so  silent!  Does  she  like 
to  play } 

Dominie.  You  have  given  her  no  opportunity 
to  speak,  she  is  certainly  not  forth-putting.  For 
the  last  two  years  she  has  taken  great  pleasure  in 
playing. 

Mrs.  S.  You  acknowledge,  then,  that  formerly 
you  had  to  force  her  to  it  ? 

Dominie.  In  the  earlier  years  of  her  natural 
development,  as  she  was  a  stranger  to  vanity  and 
other  unworthy  motives,  she  certainly  played,  or 
rather  pursued  her  serious  studies,  chiefly  from 
obedience  and  habit.  Does  your  daughter  of  thir- 
teen years  -^^ always  practise  her  exercises  with- 
out being  required  to  do  so  ?     Does  she  like  to  go 


A  Musical  Tea-Party,  75 

to  school  every  day  ?  Does  she  always  sew  and 
knit  without  being  reminded  of  it  ? 

Mrs.  S.  {interrupting).  Oh,  I  see  you  are  quite 
in  love  with  your  daughters  !  But  they  say  you 
are  terribly  strict  and  cruel  in  the  musical  educa- 
tion of  your  children  ;  and,  in  fact,  always. 

Dominie.  Do  you  suppose  I  do  this  from  affec- 
tion "i  or  do  you  infer  it,  because  they  have  proved 
artists,  or  because  they  look  so  blooming  and 
healthy,  or  because  they  write  such  fine  letters, 
or  because  they  have  not  grown  crooked  over 
embroidery,  or  because  they  are  so  innocent,  unaf- 
fected, and  modest.?  or  — 

Mrs.  S.  {irritably).  We  will  drop  that  subject. 
But  I  must  give  you  one  piece  of  good  advice.  Do 
not  make  your  daughter  Emma  exert  herself  too 
much,  as  you  have  done  with  your  eldest  daughter. 

Dominie.  If  that  is  so,  Mrs.  Spriggins,  it  seems 
to  have  agreed  with  her  very  well. 

Mrs.  S.  {vehemently).  But  she  would  have  been 
better  — 

Dominie.  If  she  had  not  played  at  all  ?  That 
I  can't  tell  exactly,  as  I  said  yesterday.  Well,  you 
are  satisfied  now  with  Emma's  state  of  health  ? 

Mrs.  S.  It  is  of  no  use  to  advise  such  people 
as  you. 


j6  Piano  and  Song, 

Dominie.  I  have  always  devoted  myseU  to  my 
business  as  a  teacher,  and  have  daily  taken  coun- 
sel with  myself  about  the  education  of  my  daugh- 
ters, and  of  other  pupils  whom  I  have  formed  for 
artists  ;  and,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  I  have  done 
so  with  some  abihty. 

Mrs.  S.  {not  attending  to  hinty  but  turning  to 
Emma).  But  does  it  not  make  your  fingers  ache 
to  play  such  difficult  music  } 

Dominie.  Only  when  her  teacher  raps  her  on 
the  knuckles,  and  that  I  never  do. 

{Emma  looks  at  the  parrot  which  is  hanging  in 
the  parlor^  and  strokes  the  great  bull-dog') 

John  Spriggins  {entering  with  his  daughter 
Lizzie).  Herr  Dominie,  will  you  be  so  good  as 
to  hear  our  daughter  Lizzie  play,  and  advise  us 
whether  to  continue  in  the  same  course.  Music 
is,  in  fact,  hereditary  in  our  family.  My  wife  played 
a  little,  too,  in  her  youth,  and  I  once  played  on  the 
violin  ;  but  my  teacher  told  me  I  had  no  talent  for 
it,  no  ear,  and  no  idea  of  time,  and  that  I  scraped 
too  much. 

Dominie.  Very  curious  !  He  must  have  been 
mistaken ! 

John  S.  But  I  always  was  devotedly  fond  of 
music.     My  father  and   my  grandfather,  on   our 


A  Musical  Tea-Party.  "jy 

estate,  often  used  to  play  the  organ  for  the  organ- 
ist in  church,  and  the  tenants  always  knew  when 
they  were  playing.  My  father  used  often  to  tell 
that  story  at  table.     Ha,  ha  !     It  was  very  droll ! 

Dominie.     Curious ! 

John  S.  Well,  to  return  to  my  violin.  I  gave 
it  up  after  a  year,  because  it  seemed  rather 
scratchy  to  me,  too. 

Dominie.  Curious  !  Probably  your  ear  and 
your  taste  had  become  more  cultivated. 

John  S.  Afterwards,  when  I  accepted  an  office, 
my  wife  said  to  me,  "  My  dear,  what  a  pity  it  is 
about  your  violin."  So  I  had  it  restrung,  and  took 
a  teacher.     It  seems  as  if  it  were  only  yesterday. 

Dominie  {fasting  down  his  eyes,  —  the  servant 
brings  ice).     That  was  very  curious  ! 

John  S.  But  the  government  horn -player 
thought  he  could  not  get  on  in  duets  with  me. 

Dominie.  Curious  !  So  you  were  obliged  to 
play  only  solos }  But  to  return  to  your  daugh- 
ter. Will  you  be  good  enough  to  play  me  some- 
thing, Miss  Lizzie  .^ 

Mrs.  S.  (condescendingly y  in  a  low  voice).  She 
is  a  little  timid  and  embarrassed  at  playing  before 
your  daughter  Emma. 

Emma.     You  really  need  not  be  so. 


yS  Piano  and  Song. 

Mrs.  S.  Bring  "  Les  Graces "  by  Herz,  and 
Rosellen's  "Tremolo." 

Lizzie.  But,  mamma,  I  have  forgotten  that 
piece  by  Herz,  and  I  have  not  learned  the  "  Tre- 
molo" very  well  yet.  That  is  always  the  way 
with  me.  Mr.  Shepard  says  I  may  console  myself : 
it  was  always  the  same  with  his  other  scholars. 
He  says  I  shall  finally  make  my  way.  But  Mr. 
Shepard  is  so  strict.  Are  you  very  strict,  Herr 
Dominie } 

Mrs.  S.  Why,  my  child,  you  have  heard  me 
say  so  before.  Herr  Dominie  is  the  very  strict- 
est —  but  (playfully)  he  will  not  acknowledge  it. 

Dominie.  There  is  one  thing  you  must  allow, 
Mrs.  Spriggins, — that  my  pupils  always  take  pleas- 
ure in  my  lessons  ;  and  that  must  be  the  case 
because  their  progress  is  evident  and  gives  them 
delight,  and  every  thing  is  developed  in  the  most 
natural  way. 

Mrs.  S.  (less  sharply).  We  won't  discuss  that ; 
but  how  are  your  daughters  able  to  play  so  many 
pieces  to  people,  and  moreover  without  notes,  if 
they  have  not  been  obliged  to  practise  all  day 
long,  and  if  you  have  not  been  very  cruel  with 
them,  while  my  Lizzie  cannot  play  a  single  thing 
without  bungling  ? 


A  Musical  Tea-Party.  79 

Dominie.  Allow  me,  madam,  it  must  be  the 
fault  of  Mr.   Shep  — 

Mrs.  S.  No,  no  !  you  must  excuse  me,  but  we 
don't  permit  any  reflections  on  our  Mr.  Shepard  : 
he  is  very  particular  and  unwearied. 

Dominie.  It  does  not  depend  entirely  upon 
that,  but  — 

John  S.  Upon  my  honor,  it  is  marvellous  to  see 
how  talented  pupils  always  seem  to  flock  to  you. 
It.  is  easy  to  teach  such  !  Ha,  ha  !  You  must  not 
forget,  however,  that  my  grandfather  played  on 
the  organ.  Now,  Lizzie,  sit  down  and  play  some- 
thing. 

(She  chooses  a  cavatinafrom  "  The  Pirates j'  with 
variations.      The  introduction   begins   with   e 
flat  in  unison.     Lizzie  strikes  e  in  unison  and 
the  same  in  the  bass,  and  exclaims :   "  There, 
mamyna,  didnt  I  tell  you  so  ?    I  dont  remem- 
ber  it  now''     Mr.   Shepard  enters,  steps  up 
hastily,  and  puts  her  finger  on  e  flat^ 
Shepard.     Pardon    me,    Herr   Dominie,    I   will 
only  set  her  going :  it  makes  her  a  little  confused 
to  play  before  such  connoisseurs  ;   she  loses  her 
eyesight.     Don't  you  see,  Lizzie,  there  are  three 
flats  in  the  signature  ? 
John   S.     Courage    now!     Aha!     Lizzie    can*t 


8o  Piano  and  Song. 

get  at  the  pedal,  the  bull-dog  is  l>'ing  over  it. 
John,  take  him  out. 

(After  the  removal  of  the  bull-dog,  Lizzie  plays  as 

far  as  the  fourth  bar,  when  she  strikes  c  sharp 

instead  of  c,  and  stops.) 

Mrs.  S.    Never  mind,  begin  again.    Herr  Dominie 

is  pleased  to  hear  that :  he  has  gone  through  it  all 

with  his  own  children. 

{Lizzie  begins  again  at  the  beginning,  and  goes 

on  to  the  eighth  bar,  where  she  sticks  fast) 
Shepard.      Don't   make   me   ashamed   of   you, 
Lizzie.     Now  begin  once   more:    a  week   ago  it 
went  quite  tolerably. 

{Lizzie  begins  once  more,  and  plays  or   rather 
scrambles  through  it,  as  far  as  the  eighteenth 
bar ;  but  now  it  is  all  over  with  her,  and  she 
gets  up) 
Dominie.     Skip  the  introduction,  it  is  too  diffi- 
cult :  begin  at  once  on  the  theme. 

John  S.  {to  his  wife).  We  will  go  away  and 
leave  the  gentlemen  alone.  By  and  by,  gentlemen, 
we  will  talk  about  it  further  over  a  cup  of  tea. 
{Lizzie  refuses  to  play) 
Dominie.  Mr.  Shepard,  let  Lizzie  play  a  few 
scales  or  some  chords ;  a  few  finger  exercises,  of 
some  easy  dance  without  notes. 


A  Musical  Tea-Party,  8i 

Shepard.  She  has  nothing  of  that  kind  ready. 
You  see  I  always  take  up  one  piece  after  another, 
and  have  each  one  played  as  well  as  I  can ;  she 
repeats  the  difficult  parts,  I  write  the  proper  finger- 
ing over  them,  and  am  very  particular  that  she  does 
not  use  the  wrong  fingers.  I  have  taken  a  great 
deal  of  pains,  and  quite  worn  myself  out  over  the 
lessons.  Lizzie  does  the  same,  and  practises  her 
pieces  two  hours  a  day  ;  but  —  but  — 
(Lizzie  goes  away  with  Emma) 

Dominie.  Mr.  Shepard,  with  the  best  intentions 
in  the  world,  you  will  never  accomplish  your  end. 
Even  if  Miss  Lizzie  is  only  to  play  as  an  amateur, 
and  is  not  intended  for  any  thing  higher,  for  which 
in  fact  she  has  not  sufficient  talent,  you  must  pay 
some  attention  beforehand  to  the  acquirement  of 
a  correct  tone,  and  get  rid  of  this  robin-red-breast 
touch  ;  and  you  must  then  endeavor,  by  scales  and 
exercises  of  every  kind,  to  give  to  her  hands  and 
fingers  so  much  firmness,  decision,  and  dexterity, 
that  she  can  master  her  pieces,  at  least  with  a 
certain  distinct  tone  and  a  tolerable  touch.  You 
are  not  less  in  error  in  the  choice  of  her  pieces, 
which  are  far  too  difficult,  —  a  fault  of  most  teachers, 
even  with  the  most  skilful  pupils.  The  pieces  which 
your  pupils  are  to  execute  should  be  below  their 

4*  * 


S2  Piano  and  Song, 

mechanical  powers  ;  for,  otherwise,  the  struggle  with 
difficulties  robs  the  player  of  all  confidence  in  the 
performance,  and  gives  rise  to  stumbling,  bungling, 
and  hurry.  The  mechanical  powers  should  be  cul- 
tivated by  studies  and  exercises,  in  preference  to 
pieces,  at  least  to  those  of  certain  famous  com- 
posers, who  do  not  write  in  a  manner  adapted  to 
the  piano  ;  or  who,  at  any  rate,  regard  the  music 
as  of  more  importance  than  the  player.  This  may 
apply  even  to  Beethoven,  in  the  higher  grade  of 
composition  ;  for  his  music  is  full  of  danger  for  the 
performer.  The  only  course  which  can  ever  lead 
to  a  sure  result,  without  wearying  both  pupil  and 
parent,  and  without  making  piano-playing  distaste- 
ful, is  first  to  lay  a  foundation  in  mechanical  power, 
and  then  to  go  on  with  the  easier  pieces  by  Hunten 
and  Burgmiiller.  If  you  try  to  produce  the  me- 
chanical dexterity  essential  for  piano  performance 
by  the  study  of  pieces,  except  with  the  most  care- 
ful selection,  you  will  waste  a  great  deal  of  time 
and  deprive  the  pupil  of  all  pleasure  and  interest ; 
and  the  young  Lizzie  will  be  much  more  interested 
in  the  hope  of  a  husband  than  in  the  satisfaction 
of  performing  a  piece  which  will  give  pleasure  to 
herself  and  her  friends.  There  can  be  no  success 
without   gradual   development  and   culture,  with- 


A  Musical  Tea-Party,  ^3 

out  a  plan,  without  consideration  and  reflection,  — 
in  fact,  without  a  proper  method.  How  can  there 
be  any  good  result,  if  the  pupil  has  to  try  at  the 
same  time  to  play  with  a  correct  touch,  with  the 
proper  fingering,  in  time,  w'th  proper  phrasing, 
to  move  the  fingers  rightly,  to  gain  familiarity 
with  the  notes,  and  to  avoid  the  confusion  between 
the  treble  and  the  bass  notes,  —  and  in  fact  has 
to  struggle  with  every  thing  at  once  ?  And  what 
vexations !  what  loss  of  time  without  success ! 

(Shepard  listened   with   attention^   and  a   light 
seemed  to  daw?t  upo7i  him) 

(Dominie  and  Shepard  go  in  to  tea) 

Mrs.  S.  Well,  gentlemen,  have  you  come  to 
any  conclusion  ?  Is  not  Lizzie  a  good  pupil  ? 
She  is  obliged  to  practise  two  hours  every  day, 
however  tired  she  may  be.  Do  you  think  we 
should  continue  in  the  same  course,  Herr  Dom- 
inie ? 

Shepard.  Herr  Dominie  has  called  my  atten- 
tion to  some  points  which  will  be  of  use  to  me. 

Dominie.     Only  a  few  trifles. 

John  S.  After  tea  will  not  Miss  Emma  play 
to  us } 

Emma.  The  piano  is  very  much  out  of  tune^ 
some  of  the  keys  stick,  the  action  is  too  light,  and 


84  Piano  and  Song, 

the  instrument  generally  is  not  calculated  for  tlie 
successful  execution  of  any  thing. 

John  S.  I  beg  your  pardon :  it  was  considered 
by  everybody  a  very  fine  instrument  when  we 
bought  it,  sixteen  years  ago.  We  had  a  great 
bargain  in  it  at  the  time,  for  we  purchased  it  of  a 
neighbor  who  had  improved  it  very  much  by  use. 
Mr.  Shepard  will  confirm  what  I  say,  Miss. 

(Emma  bows  her  head  thoughtfully y  and  looks  at 
Shepard  suspiciously^ 

John  S.  My  violin  has  very  much  improved 
during  the  last  twenty  years.  On  my  honor,  if 
Lizzie  were  a  boy,  she  should  learn  to  play  on 
the  vioUn,  to  keep  it  in  the  family.     Ha,  ha,  ha ! 

Dominie.     That  would  be  curious  ! 

(Dominie  wishes  to  take  leave  with  his  daughter) 

Mrs.  S.  (condescendingly),  I  hope  you  will  come 
to  see  us  again  soon.  The  next  time  Lizzie  will 
play  you  Rosellen's  "  Tremolo  ; "  and  Miss  Emma 
must  play  us  a  piece  too. 

Dominie.   You  are  extremely  kind  1  (Takes  leave) 


Singing  and  Singing-Teachers,  85 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

SINGING  AND  SINGING-TEACHERS. 
{A  Letter  to  a  Young  Lady  Singer.) 

My   dear  Miss ,  —  You  are  endowed  with 

an  admirable  gift  for  singing,  and  your  agreeable 
though  not  naturally  powerful  voice  has  vivacity 
and  youthful  charm,  as  well  as  a  fine  tone  :  you 
also  possess  much  talent  in  execution  ;  yet  you 
nevertheless  share  the  lot  of  almost  all  your  sisters 
in  art,  who,  whether  in  Vienna,  Paris,  or  Italy,  find 
only  teachers  who  are  rapidly  helping  to  annihi- 
late the  opera  throughout  Europe,  and  are  ruling 
out  of  court  the  simple,  noble,  refined,  and  true 
art  of  singing.  This  modern,  unnatural  style  of 
art,  which  merely  aspires  to  superficial  effects, 
and  consists  only  in  mannerisms,  and  which  must 
ruin  the  voice  in  a  short  time,  before  it  reaches 
its  highest  perfection,  has  already  laid  claim  to 
you.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  rescue  your  talent, 
unless,  convinced  that  you  have  been  falsely 
guided,  you  stop  entirely  for  a  time,  and  allow 
your  voice  to  rest  during  several  months,  and  then, 


86  Piano  and  Song 

by  correct  artistic  studies,  and  with  a  voice  never 
forced  or  strong,  often  indeed  weak,  you  improve 
your  method  of  attack  by  the  use  of  much  less 
and  never  audible  breathing,  and  acquire  a  cor- 
rect, quiet  guidance  of  the  tones.  You  must  also 
make  use  of  the  voice  in  the  middle  register,  and 
strengthen  the  good  head-tones  by  skilfully  lower- 
ing them  ;  you  must  equalize  the  registers  of  the 
voice  by  a  correct  and  varied  use  of  the  head- 
tones,  and  by  diligent  practice  of  solfeggio.  You 
must  restore  the  unnaturally  extended  registers 
to  their  proper  limits  ;  and  you  have  still  other 
points  to  reform.  Are  you  not  aware  that  this 
frequent  tremulousness  of  the  voice,  this  immod- 
erate forcing  of  its  compass,  by  which  the  chest- 
register  is  made  to  interfere  with  the  head-tones, 
this  coquetting  with  the  deep  chest-tones,  this 
affected,  offensive,  and  almost  inaudible  nasal 
pianissimo  J  the  aimless  jerking  out  of  single  tones, 
and,  in  general,  this  whole  false  mode  of  vocal 
execution,  must  continually  shock  the  natural 
sentiment  of  a  cultivated,  unprejudiced  hearer,  as 
well  as  of  the  composer  and  singing-teacher? 
What  must  be  the  effect  on  a  voice  in  the  middle 
register,  when  its  extreme  limits  are  forced  in 
such  a  reckless  manner,  and  when  you  expend  as 


Singing  and  Singing-Teachers,  87 

much  breath  for  a  few  lines  of  a  song  as  a  cor- 
rectly educated  singer  would  require  for  a  whole 
aria?  How  long  will  it  be  before  your  voice, 
already  weakened,  and  almost  always  forced  be- 
yond the  limits  of  beauty,  shall  degenerate  into  a 
hollow,  dull,  guttural  tone,  and  even  into  that 
explosive  or  tremulous  sound,  which  proclaims 
irremediable  injury?  Is  your  beautiful  voice  and 
your  talent  to  disappear  like  a  meteor,  as  others 
have  done  ?  or  do  you  hope  that  the  soft  air  of  Italy 
will  in  time  restore  a  voice  once  ruined  ?  I  fall 
into  a  rage  when  I  think  of  the  many  beautiful 
voices  which  have  been  spoiled,  and  have  dwindled 
away  without  leaving  a  trace  during  the  last  forty 
years  ;  and  I  vent  my  overflowing  heart  in  a  brief 
notice  of  the  many  singing-teachers,  whose  rise 
and  influence  I  have  watched  for  twenty  years 
past. 

The  so-called  singing-teachers  whom  we  usually 
find,  even  in  large  cities  and  in  musical  institu- 
tions, I  exempt  from  any  special  criticism,  for  they 
would  not  be  able  to  understand  my  views.  They 
permit  soprano  voices  to  sing  scales  in  all  the  five 
vowels  at  once  ;  begin  with  c  instead  of  //  allow  a 
long  holding  of  the  notes,  "  in  order  to  bring  out 
the  voice,"  until   the  poor  victim  rolls   her   eyes 


SB  Pidnd  and  Song. 

and  grows  dizzy.  They  talk  only  of  the  fine  chest 
tones  which  must  be  elicited,  will  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  head-tones,  will  not  even  listen  to  them, 
recognize  them,  or  learn  to  distinguish  them.  Their 
highest  principle  is  :  "  Fudge  !  we  don't  want  any 
rubbish  of  Teschner,  Miksch,  and  Wieck.  Sing  in 
your  own  plain  way :  what  is  the  use  of  this  mur- 
muring without  taking  breath  ?  For  what  do  you 
have  lungs  if  you  are  not  to  use  them  ?  Come, 
try  this  aria :  *  Grdce,'  *  gr^ce  ! '  Produce  an  effect ! 
Down  on  your  knees  !  " 

There  are  again  others  who  allow  screaming,  — 
"the  more  the  better," — in  order  to  produce  power 
and  expression  in  the  voice,  and  to  make  it  service- 
able for  public  performances.  They  may,  indeed, 
require  the  singing  of  solfeggioy  and  prattle  about 
the  requisite  equality  of  the  tones  ;  and  they  con- 
sequently make  the  pupil  practise  diligently  and 
strongly  on  the  two-lined  a^  b  flat,  ^,  where  kind 
Nature  does  not  at  first  place  the  voice,  because 
she  has  reserved  for  herself  the  slow  and  careful 
development  of  it.  As  for  the  unfortunate  gasp- 
ing medium  voices,  which  are  still  less  docile,  and 
which  sigh  in  the  throat,  and  after  all  can  only 
speak,  such  teachers  postpone  the  cultivation  of 
these  to  the  future,  or  else  they  exclaim  in  a  sat- 


Singing  and  Singing-Teachers.  8g 

isfied  way,  "  Now  we  will  sing  at  sight !  Hit  the 
notes  !  Let  us  have  classical  music  !  "  Of  these, 
also,  I  forbear  to  speak. 

And  as  for  the  singing-teachers,  whose  business 
it  is  to  educate  the  voice  for  "  the  opera  of  the 
future,"  I  am  really  unable  to  write  about  them. 
In  the  first  place,  I  know  nothing  about  "the 
future,"  the  unborn  ;  and,  in  the  second  place,  I 
have  more  than  enough  to  do  with  the  present. 

And  now  I  come  to  those  who  honestly  wish  to 
teach  better,  and  who  in  a  measure  do  so.  But 
even  they  are  too  pedantic :  with  prej  udiced  views, 
they  pursue  one-sided  aims.  Without  looking 
around  to  the  right  or  to  the  left  or  forwards,  and 
without  daily  learning,  reflecting,  and  striving,  they 
run  in  a  groove,  always  ride  their  particular  hobby, 
cut  every  thing  after  one  pattern,  and  use  up  the 
time  in  secondary  matters,  in  incredible  trifles. 
For  the  formation  of  a  fine  tone,  not  a  minute 
should  be  lost,  particularly  with  lady  singers,  who 
are  not  strong,  and  usually  cannot  or  ought  not  to 
sing  more  than  twenty  days  in  a  month,  and  who 
surely  ought  to  be  allowed  to  use  their  time  in 
a  reasonable  manner.  Moreover,  these  are  the 
teachers  whom  it  is  most  difficult  to  comprehend. 
Though   they    use    only    seven    tones,   they   are 


90  Piano  and  Song, 

plunged  in  impenetrable  mysteries,  in  incompre- 
hensible knowledge  and  a  multitude  of  so-called 
secrets,  out  of  which,  indeed,  nothing  can  ever 
be  brought  to  Hght.  For  this,  however,  they  do 
not  consider  themselves  to  blame,  not  even  their 
hobby-horses  ;  but,  as  they  say,  "the  higher 
powers."  We  will,  for  once,  suppose  that  three- 
fourths  of  the  measures  which  they  are  accus- 
tomed to  employ  in  their  treatment  of  the  voice 
and  of  the  individual  are  good  and  correct  (the 
same  is  true  of  many  piano-teachers)  ;  but  the 
remaining  fourth  is  sufficient  to  ruin  the  voice,  or 
to  prevent  its  proper  development,  and  therefore 
nothing  correct  is  to  be  gained.  There  are  other 
teachers  who  never  can  get  beyond  the  formation 
of  the  tone,  and  are  lost  in  the  pursuit  of  perfec- 
tion,—  that  "terrestrial  valley  of  tears."  Truly  a 
beautiful  country,  but  which  is  only  to  be  found  in 
Paradise ! 

Others,  instead  of  thinking,  "  I  will  try  for  the 
present  to  do  better  than  others  have  done,"  so 
harass  and  torment  the  poor  mortal  voices  with 
their  aim  at  perfect  equality  and  perfect  beauty  of 
tone,  the  result  often  is  that  every  thing  becomes 
unequal  and  far  from  beautiful.  Some  teachers 
make  their  pupils  so  anxious  and  troubled  that, 


Singmg  and  Singi7tg-Teachers.  91 

owing  to  their  close  attention  to  the  tone,  and  the 
breath,  and  the  pronunciation,  they  siiig  their 
songs  in  an  utterly  wooden  manner,  and  so  in 
fact  they,  too,  are  lost  in  optimism  and  in  tears  ; 
whereas,  for  singing,  a  happy  confidence  in  the 
ability  to  succeed  is  essential.  Others  pursue  an 
opposite  course,  and  are  guilty  of  worse  faults,  as 
you  will  see  if  you  look  around.  Some  of  them 
have  no  standard  of  perfection,  but  use  up  the 
time  in  an  exchange  of  ideas  with  their  pupils, 
'with  mysterious  and  conceited  "  ifs  "  and  "  buts." 
They  are  very  positive,  but  only  within  the  narrow 
circle  of  their  own  ideas.  They  make  no  advance 
in  a  correct  medium  path.  Some  allow  pupils  to 
practise  only  staccatOy  and  others  only  legato^  aim- 
ing thereby  at  nobody  knows  what.  Some  allow 
them  to  sing  too  loud,  others  too  feebly ;  some  phi- 
losophize earnestly  about  beauty  in  the  voice,  and 
others  grumble  about  unpleasantness  in  the  same  ; 
some  are  enthusiastic  about  extraordinary  talents, 
others  fret  about  the  want  of  talent ;  some  have 
a  passion  for  making  all  the  sopranos  sing  alto, 
others  do  just  the  reverse  ;  some  prefer  a  shadowy, 
others  a  clear  voice.  They  all  rest  their  opinions 
upon  the  authority  of  some  famous  screaming- 
master  who  has  written  a  singing-system.     Upon 


92  Piano  and  Song. 

like  authority,  some  cultivate  chiefly  the  deep 
tones,  because  it  is  very  fine,  and  "creates  an 
effect,"  for  soprano  voices  to  be  able  suddenly  to 
sing  like  men,  or  rather  to  growl,  and  because  it 
is  the  fashion  in  Paris.  Others,  on  the  contrary, 
pride  themselves  upon  the  head-tones  ;  but  they 
are  none  of  them  willing  to  pay  much  attention 
to  the  medium  voices  :  that  is  too  critical  and  too 
delicate  a  matter,  and  requires  too  much  trouble, 
for  the  modern  art  of  singing.  As  a  last  resort, 
they  bethink  themselves  of  kind  Nature,  and  lay 
the  blame  upon  her. 

Well,  I  will  say  no  more  upon  this  point,  but 
will  proceed.  Have  I  not  already,  in  my  piano 
instructions,  insisted  on  the  importance  of  a  grad- 
ual and  careful  use  of  every  proper  expedient  to 
extend,  strengthen,  beautify,  and  preserve  the 
voice?  I  am  thought,  however,  to  infringe  upon 
the  office  of  the  singing-masters,  who  hold  their 
position  to  be  much  more  exalted  than  that  of 
the  poor  piano-ieacher.  Still,  I  must  be  allowed  to 
repeat  that  voices  are  much  more  easily  injured 
than  fingers ;  and  that  broken,  rigid  voices  are 
much  worse  than  stiff,  unmanageable  fingers,  un- 
less, after  all,  they  amount  to  the  same  thing.  I 
demand  of  singing-teachers  that  they  show  them- 


Singing  and  Sijigmg-Teachers,  93 

selves  worthy  of  their  position,  and  allow  no  more 
voices  to  go  to  destruction,  and  that  they  give  us 
some  satisfactory  results.  I  believe  in  fact,  in  my 
homely  simphcity,  that  the  whole  thing  may  be 
accomplished  without  any  mystery,  without  trading 
in  secrets  or  charlatanry ;  without  the  aid  of  mod- 
ern anatomical  improvement,  or  rather  destruction, 
of  the  worn-out  throat,  through  shortening  or 
increasing  the  flexibility  of  the  palate,  through  the 
removal  of  the  unnecessary  glands  or  by  attempts 
to  lengthen  the  vocal  passage,  or  by  remedying  a 
great  many  other  things  in  which  Nature  has 
made  a  mistake,  and  on  which  special  doctors  for 
the  voice,  in  Paris  and  London,  are  now  em- 
ployed. 

We  supply  the  want  of  all  these  by  the  following 
little  rule  :  — 

Three  trifles  are  essential  for  a  good  piano  or 
singing-teacher,  — 

The  finest  taste^ 
The  deepest  feelingy 
The  most  delicate  ear^ 
and,  in  addition,  the  requisite  knowledge,  energy, 
and  some  practice.      V^oila  tout !     I  cannot  devote 
myself  to  the  treatment  of  the  throat,  for  which  I 
have  neither  time  not  fitness  ;  and  my  lady  singers 


94  Piano  and  Song, 

are  so  busy  with  the  formation  of  true  tone,  and 
in  attention  to  the  care  and  preservation  of  their 
voices,  that  they  only  wish  to  open  their  mouths 
for  that  object,  and  not  for  anatomical  purposes. 
In  piano-playing  also,  I  require  no  cutting  of  the 
interdigital  fold,  no  mechanical  hand-support,  no 
accelerator  for  the  fingers  or  stretching  machine  ; 
and  not  even  the  "  finger-rack  "  invented  and  used, 
without  my  knowledge,  by  a  famous  pupil  *  of 
mine,  for  the  proper  raising  of  the  third  and  fourth 
fingers. 

My  dear  young  lady,  if  the  Creator  has  made  the 
throat  badly  for  singing,  he  alone  is  responsible. 
I  cannot  come  to  his  assistance  by  destroying  the 
throat  with  lunar  caustic,  and  then  reconstructing 
it.  If  the  throat  is  really  worn  out,  may  it  not 
perhaps  be  owing  to  the  teacher,  and  to  his  mis- 
taken management  ? 

Nature  does  many  things  well,  and  before  the 
introduction  of  this  modern  fashion  of  singing  pro- 
duced many  beautiful  voices :  has  she  all  at  once 
become  incapable  of  doing  any  thing  right  ? 

*  Reference  is  here  made  to  Robert  Schumann,  who,  in  order 
to  facilitate  the  use  of  the  weaker  fingers,  employed  a  machine 
for  raising  the  fingers  artificially,  which  resulted  in  loss  of  power 
over  them,  and  necessitated  the  abandonment  of  piano-playing. — 
Tr. 


Singing  and  Singing-Teachers,  95 

We  will,  then,  simply  return  to  the  three  trifles 
above-mentioned ;  and  in  these  we  will  live  and 
work  "  with  all  our  heart,  with  all  our  soul,  and 
with  all  our  mind." 


96  Piano  and  Song. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THOUGHTS   ON   SINGING. 

Our  vocal  composers,  followed  by  many  singing- 
teachers  and  singing  institutions,  have  almost  ban- 
ished from  music  the  true  art  of  singing  ;  or,  at 
least,  have  introduced  an  unnatural,  faulty,  and 
always  disagreeable  mode  of  delivery,  by  which 
the  voice  has  been  destroyed,  even  before  it  has 
attained  its  full  development.  The  consideration 
of  this  fact  induces  me  to  communicate  some  por- 
tions from  my  journal,  and  to  unite  with  them  a 
few  opinions  of  the  noted  singing-master,  Teschner, 
of  Berlin. 

Must  we  again  and  again  explain  to  German 
composers  that,  though  we  do  not  require  them  to 
compose  in  Italian,  they  ought,  at  least,  to  learn 
to  write  in  German  in  a  manner  suited  for  singing? 
otherwise,  in  their  amazing  ignorance  and  infatua- 
tion, they  will  wear  out  the  powers  of  opera  singers, 
and  torture  the  public,  apparently  without  a  sus- 


Thoughts  on  Singittg.  97 

picion  that  it  is  possible  to  write  both  grand  and 
light  operas  with  true,  characteristic  German  thor- 
oughness. Even  German  opera  requires  a  con- 
stant attention  to  the  right  use  of  the  voice,  and  a 
methodical,  effective  mode  of  singing.  It  tolerates 
no  murderous  attacks  on  single  male  and  female 
voices,  or  on  the  full  opera  company  ;  it  is  opposed 
to  that  eager  searching  after  superficial  effect, 
which  every  sincere  friend  of  the  opera  must  lament. 
Is  it,  then,  so  difficult  to  obtain  the  requisite 
knowledge  of  the  human  voice,  and  to  study  the 
scores  of  Gluck,  Haydn,  Mozart,  Rossini,  Bellini, 
and  Donizetti  with  a  special  regard  to  this  ?  Do 
our  vocal  composers  make  too  great  a  sacrifice  to 
their  creative  genius  in  making  a  study  of  those 
things  which  are  essential  ?  You  consider  it 
mortifying  to  inquire  of  those  who  understand 
singing,  and  you  are  sensitive  about  any  dis- 
turbance of  your  vain  over-estimate  of  your  own 
powers  ;  but  you  are  not  ashamed  to  cause  the 
destruction  of  man's  noblest  gift,  —  the  human 
voice!  If  taste,  feeling,  and  a  fine  ear  are,  and 
always  must  be,  the  chief  requirements  in  compos- 
ing for  the  great  public,  I  ask  you  how  you  can  lay 
claim  to  these  three  trifles,  when  you  constantly 
violate  them } 

S  o 


98  Piano  and  Song, 

Composer.  If  Mrs.  N.  had  executed  my  aria  to- 
day in  as  earnest  and  masterly  a  style,  and  with  as 
agreeable  a  voice,  as  she  did  that  of  Rossini  yester- 
day, she  would  have  given  as  much  satisfaction; 
for  it  is  much  more  interesting  and  expressive 
both  musically  and  harmonically,  and  written  with 
more  dramatic  effect. 

Singer.  You  make  a  mistake,  and  you  always 
will  do  so,  as  long  as  you  consider  the  study  of  the 
voice  as  of  secondary  importance,  or,  in  fact,  pay 
no  attention  whatever  to  it.  The  latter  aria,  which 
is  composed  with  a  regard  to  the  voice,  and  to  the 
employment  of  its  most  agreeable  tones,  puts  me 
into  a  comfortable  mood,  and  gives  me  a  feeling 
of  success  ;  yours,  on  the  contrary,  into  one  of  dis- 
satisfaction and  anticipation  of  failure.  Of  what 
importance  is  the  musical  value  of  a  composition, 
if  it  can  only  be  sung  with  doubtful  success,  and  if 
the  voice  is  obliged  to  struggle  with  it,  instead  of 
having  it  under  control .?  You  attach  less  impor- 
tance to  the  free,  agreeable  exercise  of  the  voice 
than  does  the  unanimous  public.  I  do  not  wish  to 
excite  compassion,  but  to  give  pleasure  by  a  beau- 
tifully developed  style  of  singing.  You  pay  some 
attention  to  adaptability  to  the  piano  or  the  violin : 
why  are  you  usually  regardless  of  fitness  for  the 
voice  ? 


Thoughts  on  Singing.  9() 

Critics  have  often  asked,  Why  does  Jenny  Lind 
sing  so  coolly  ?  why  does  she  not  sing  grand,  pas- 
sionate parts  ?  why  does  she  not  select  for  her  per- 
formances some  of  the  later  German  or  even  Italian 
operas  ?  why  does  she  always  sing  Amina,  Lucia, 
Norma,  Susanna,  &c.  ?  In  reply  to  these  and  simi- 
lar questions,  I  will  ask.  Why  does  she  wish  always 
to  remain  Jenny  Lind  ?  why  does  she  endeavor  to 
preserve  her  voice  as  long  as  possible  ?  why  does 
she  select  operas  in  which  she  may  use  her  pure, 
artistic,  refined  mode  of  singing,  which  permits  no 
mannerism,  no  hypocritical  sentiment,  and  which 
possesses  an  ideal  beauty?  why  does  she  choose 
operas  in  which  she  can  give  the  most  perfect  pos- 
sible image  of  her  own  personality  ?  why  operas  in 
which  she  may  allow  the  marvellous  union  of  her 
powers  of  song  to  shine  conspicuously,  without 
doing  violence  to  her  voice  and  forcing  its  tones, 
or  casting  doubt  upon  her  lofty,  noble,  and  beautiful 
art  ?  why  does  she  first  regard  the  singing,  and  only 
afterwards  the  music,  or  both  united  ?  This  is  the 
answer  to  the  same  questions  which  are  likewise 
asked  about  Henrietta  Sontag  and  all  great  sing- 
ers. Even  the  passionate  Schroder-Devrient  sel- 
dom made  an  exception  to  this  rule,  although  she 
was  not  independent  of  the  theatres. 


lOO  Piano  and  Song, 

These  questions  should  be  an  urgent  warning 
to  our  young  female  singers  not  to  sacrifice  them- 
selves to  any  of  the  modern  screaming  operas, 
un suited  for  singing ;  but  to  preserve  and  watch 
over  their  voices,  and  to  guard  them  from  immod- 
erate, continued,  and  often  inartistic  exertion ;  in 
fact,  to  sing  always  in  the  voice-register  with 
which  nature  has  endowed  them,  and  never  to 
shriek ;  to  renounce  the  present,  fashionable,  so- 
called  "singing  effects,"  and  the  modern  scene- 
screaming,  as  Jenny  Lind  and  Henrietta  Sontag 
have  always  done.  Then  their  voices  would  re- 
main useful  for  the  opera,  as  was  formerly  the  case, 
from  ten  to  twenty  years  ;  and  they  would  not  have 
to  mourn,  as  is  too  common,  after  a  very  short  time, 
a  feeble,  broken  voice  and  departed  health. 

Let  Jenny  Lind  and  Henrietta  Sontag  be  placed 
as  the  finest  models  before  our  young,  gifted,  ambi- 
tious singers.  They  are  to  be  regarded  as  miracu- 
lous phenomena  ;  especially  in  our  times,  when  the 
modern  style  of  singing  has,  for  reasons  difficult 
to  justify,  so  widely  deviated  from  the  old  school 
which  was  so  fruitful  in  brilliant  results,  —  that 
of  Pistocchi,  Porpora,  and  Bernacchi.  What  could 
show  more  clearly  the  destructiveness  of  our  pres- 
ent opera  style  than  the  sublime  beauty  of   their 


rhougJUs  on  Singing.  lOi 

singing,  combined  with  their  noble,  refined,  sound 
voices,  such  as  may  perhaps  still  be  found  among 
you? 

The  managers  of  our  theatres  are  in  want  of 
tenor  singers  who  can  act.  They  should  consider 
that  tenors  who  have  any  voices  left  have  never 
learned  to  act,  and  tenors  who  are  able  to  act 
no  longer  have  any  voices  ;  because,  as  a  rule,  they 
either  have  studied  too  little,  or  have  studied  erro- 
neously. Unless  the  voice  has  received  a  correct 
and  fine  culture,  the  German  comic  operas  lead 
immediately  to  destruction  of  the  voice,  especially 
of  the  sensitive,  easily  injured  German  tenor  voice. 

Here  I  take  occasion  to  remark  upon  the  univer- 
sal prejudice,  that  "a  tenor  ought  to  develop  the 
chest-tones  as  far  as  possible,  that  they  are  the 
finest."  In  tenors,  with  very  few  exceptions,  this 
mistaken  treatment  has  been  speedily  followed  by 
the  loss  both  of  voice  and  health.  Nicely  shaded 
singing,  from  piano  onwards,  is  thereby  rendered 
impossible ;  and  tones  which  are  always  forced 
must  remain  unpleasant,  even  although  powers 
thus  laboriously  gained  may  sometimes  have  a 
fine  effect  in  the  opera,  A  tenor  who  wishes  to 
preserve  his  voice  and  not  to  scream  in  the  upper 


I02  Piano  and  Song, 

tones,  who  desires  always  to  have  a  pia7to  at  com- 
mand and  to  possess  the  necessary  shading  and 
lightness  as  well  as  elegance  and  flexibility,  should 
cultivate  t)\Q  falsetto^  and  endeavor  to  bring  it  down 
as  far  as  possible  into  the  chest-register.  This  is 
as  indispensable  as  is  the  use  of  the  head-tones 
for  the  soprano.  When  the  falsetto  has  too  strik- 
ing a  resemblance  to  the  chest-voice,  and  is  even 
inferior  to  it  in  power,  it  is  the  result  of  want  of 
perseverance  and  prudence  in  its  cultivation.  It 
ought  to  be  almost  imperceptibly  connected  with 
the  chest-register  by  the  introduction  of  the  mixed 
tones. 

We  shall  probably  soon  be  called  upon  to  read 
an  "Address  of  Young  Female  Singers  to  the 
Composers  of  Germany,"  as  follows :  "  Freedom 
of  thought !  freedom  in  composition !  freedom  in 
the  opera !  but  no  annihilation  of  the  throat !  You 
are  hereby  notified  that  we  protest  against  all 
operas  which  are  repugnant  to  the  true  art  of 
singing ;  for  it  is  not  in  your  power  to  compensate 
us  for  the  loss  of  our  voices,  although  it  may 
be  possible  for  you,  after  using  up  our  talent  as 
quickly  as  possible,  to  look  around  for  others,  with 
whom  you  can  do  the  same.     First  learn  to  under 


Thoughts  on  Singing,  103 

stand  singing,  or,  rather,  first  learn  to  sing,  as  your 
predecessors  have  done,  and  as  Italian  composers 
still  do,  and  then  we  will  talk  with  you  again." 

"  What  a  pedantic  outcry  about  German  want 
of  adaptability  for  singing !  Pray  where  is  there 
the  most  singing  ? "  It  is,  I  agree,  in  Germany. 
*'  Is  not  singing  taught  in  the  public  schools  ? 
And  consider,  too,  the  innumerable  singing  clubs, 
singing  societies,  and  singing  institutions  !  " 

That  is  just  the  misfortune  which  requires  a 
thorough  investigation.  How  many  promising 
voices  do  these  institutions  annually  follow  to  the 
grave  ?  Who  is  it  who  sing  in  the  schools  ?  Boys 
and  girls  from  thirteen  to  fifteen  years  old.  But 
boys  ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  sing  while  the 
voice  is  changing ;  and  girls,  also  from  physical 
reasons,  ought  not  to  sing  at  all  at  that  age.  And 
what  kind  of  instructors  teach  singing  here  .-*  Our 
epistolary  and  over-wise  age  overwhelms  our  super- 
intendents and  corporations  with  innumerable  peti- 
tions and  proposals  ;  but  no  true  friend  of  humanity, 
of  music,  and  of  singing,  has  yet  been  found  to 
enlighten  these  authorities,  and  to  prove  to  them 
that  the  most  beautiful  voices  and  finest  talents  are 
killed  in   the   germ  by  these  unsuitable  so-called 


104  Piano  and  Song. 

singing-lessons,  especially  in  the  public  schools. 
Girls'  voices  may  be  carefully  awakened,  and  skil- 
fully practised,  and  made  flexible  and  musical ;  but 
they  should  be  used  only  in  mezzo-voce,  and  only 
until  the  period  of  their  development,  or  up  to  the 
thirteenth  year,  or  a  few  months  sooner  or  later. 
This  ought  also  to  be  done  with  great  experience, 
delicacy,  practical  knowledge  and  circumspection. 
But  where  are  we  to  find  suitable  singing-profes- 
sors, and  who  is  to  pay  them  a  sufficient  salary  ? 
Therefore,  away  with  this  erroneous  instruction 
of  children  in  singing  !  away  with  this  abortion 
of  philanthropy  and  the  musical  folly  of  this  ex- 
travagant age  !  Can  such  a  premature,  unrefined, 
faulty  screaming  of  children,  or  croaking  in  their 
throats,  without  artistic  cultivation  and  guidance, 
compensate  for  the  later  inevitable  hoarseness  and 
loss  of  voice,  and  for  the  destruction  of  the  organs 
of  singing  ? 

The  tenors  who  belong  to  these  singing  societies 
and  institutions  force  out  and  sacrifice  their  un- 
cultured voices,  and  scream  with  throat,  palate, 
and  nasal  tones,  in  the  execution  of  four-part  songs 
by  this  or  that  famous  composer,  which  are  far 
from  beautiful,  and  which  serve  only  to  ruin  the 
voice.     Who  was  the  lady  who  sang  the  solo  in 


Thoughts  on  Si7igi?ig,  105 

yonder  singing  academy  ?  That  girl,  a  year  ago, 
had  a  fresh,  beautiful,  sonorous  voice  ;  but,  although 
she  is  only  twenty  years  old,  it  already  begins  to 
fail  her,  and  she  screws  and  forces  it,  by  the  help 
of  the  chest-tones,  up  to  the  two-lined  a^  without 
any  thing  having  ever  been  done  for  the  adjust- 
ment of  the  voice-registers  and  for  the  use  of 
the  head-tones,  and  without  proper  direction  from 
a  competent  superintendent.  Instead  of  this,  he 
was  continually  exclaiming  :  "  Loud  !  forcibly  !  con 
£spressione  I " 

While  even  the  street  boys  in  Italy  sing  clearly, 
and  often  with  great  ability,  their  national  songs, 
so  well  suited  to  the  voice,  and  in  their  most  beau- 
tiful language,  our  northern  voices,  which  are 
obliged  to  contend  with  the  great  difficulties  of 
the  German  language,  are  sacrificed  in  the  most 
cold-blooded  and  self-satisfied  manner  in  the  schools 
and  singing  societies,  while  all  artistic  preparation, 
by  which  alone  the  voice  may  be  preserved  and 
cultivated,  is  neglected. 

Who  are  at  the  head  of  these  institutions  and 

societies .''      Musicians   it   is   true ;    but   they  are 

strangers  to  any  special  education  in  singing,  or 

are   not  skilful   singing-teachers,  who   understand 

how  to  combine  methodical  cultivation  of  the  voice 
6* 


I06  Piano  and  Song, 

with  practical  execution.  Their  entire  instruction 
consists,  at  most,  in  hitting  the  notes  and  keeping 
time.  These  musicians  say:  "Whoever  joins  my 
society  must  know  how  to  sing  ! "  What  does  that 
mean .?  Where  are  they  to  learn  it  "i  And,  even 
when  you  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  for  your 
academy  a  few  imprudent  but  well-taught  singers, 
does  not  the  preservation  of  their  voices  then 
require  the  greatest  care  and  watchfulness  "i  Is 
that  in  your  power  ?  Have  you  the  requisite 
knowledge  for  it?  Are  not  these  few  well-edu- 
cated voices  obliged  to  sing  by  the  side  of  singers 
who  have  been  taught  in  a  wrong  manner,  and 
who  have  no  pure,  correct  intonation  ?  Then  what 
do  these  societies  amount  to  ?  Do  they  improve 
or  destroy  the  voice }  They  make  the  members 
musical.  A  fine  consolation  for  the  loss  of  the 
voice  !  They  teach  them  to  hit  the  notes  and  to 
keep  time.  A  great  comfort  after  the  voice  has 
been  destroyed  by  false  culture ! 

A  singing-teacher  who  has  no  firm,  decided 
principle,  who  is  constantly  wavering  backwards 
and  forwards,  and  who  frequently  leads  others  into 
error  by  his  untenable  opinions  ;  who  cannot  quickly 
discern  the  special  tialent  and  capacity  of  his  pupils, 


Thoughts  on  Singing.  107 

or  discover  the  proper  means  to  get  rid  of  what  is 
false  or  wrong,  and  adopt  the  speediest  road  to 
success,  without  any  one-sided  theories  of  perfec- 
tion ;  who  mistrusts  and  blames,  worries,  offends, 
and  depresses,  instead  of  encouraging ;  who  is 
always  dissatisfied  instead  of  cordially  acknowl- 
edging what  is  good  in  the  pupil ;  who  at  one  time 
rides  a  high  horse  instead  of  kindly  offering  a  help- 
ing hand,  and  at  another  time  praises  as  extrava- 
gantly as  he  before  has  blamed,  and  kills  time  in 
such  ways  as  these,  —  he  may  be  an  encyclopaedia 
of  knowledge,  but  his  success  will  always  fall  short 
of  his  hopes.  Firmness,  decision,  energy,  and  a 
delicate,  quick  perception ;  the  art  not  to  say  too 
much  or  too  little,  and  to  be  quite  clear  in  his  own 
mind,  and  with  constant  considerate  kindness  to 
increase  the  courage  and  confidence  of  his  pupils,  — 
these  are  requisite  above  all  things  for  a  singing- 
master  as  well  as  for  a  piano-teacher. 

"  My  singers  are  to  be  educated  for  the  public, 
for  the  stage,  and  must  therefore  sing  loud,  study 
hard,  force  their  execution,  and  make  use  of  a 
great  deal  of  breath.  How  else  will  they  be  able 
to  produce  an  effect  ? " 

Answer.     What,  then,  is  the  effect  of  your  cul- 


I08  Piano  and  Song* 

ture  ?  I  know  of  none,  except  that  they  at  first 
are  applauded,  because  they  are  young  and  pretty, 
and  are  novelties  ;  because  they  have  good  voices, 
and  the  benevolent  public  wishes  to  encourage 
them  ;  and  then  they  disappear  in  a  year  or  two 
without  leaving  any  trace. 

"  The  singing-teacher  can  succeed  in  cultivating 
not  more  than  one  good  voice  in  twenty,  with  any 
noteworthy  result.  Hence  the  decadence  of  the 
art  of  singing." 

Answer.  Unless  some  unusual  disturbance  oi 
sickness  occur,  all  voices  improve  till  the  twenty- 
fourth  year.  Wl^en  this  is  not  the  case,  it  is  to 
be  attributed  only  to  the  singing-teacher. 

"  Many  voices  acquire  a  sharp  tone,  which  is  the 
precursor  of  decay." 

Answer.  All  voices  are,  and  will  remain,  more 
or  less  tender,  if  their  culture  is  correct. 

"  Only  Jenny  Lind  and  Henrietta  Sontag  were 
allowed  by  the  public  to  give  out  their  voices  nat- 
urally and  lightly  without  straining  them,  and  to 
sing  piano  and  pianissimo,  and  their  celebrity  is  a 
justification  of  this  privilege." 

Answer.  But  how  would  they  have  obtained 
their  celebrity,  if  this  were  not  the  true,  correct, 
and  pure  mode  of  singing? 


Thoughts  on  Singing.  169 

"  Oui  singers  also  try  the  piano  and  pia7iissimo  ; 
but  they  can  produce  no  effect  on  their  audiences 
by  it,  as  you  may  see  every  day." 

Answer.  Good  heavens !  I  should  think  so  ! 
With  such  a  piano,  with  strained  voices,  faulty 
attack,  and  the  use  of  too  much  breath,  —  a  pia7to 
which  only  gurgles  in  the  throat,  or  deeper !  That 
I  do  not  mean  :  I  must  refer  you  again  to  the  three 
trifles  mentioned  in  my  eighth  chapter. 

"  But  some  voices  have  no  piano,  and  many 
singers  do  not  take  the  right  course  to  acquire 
it." 

Answer.  What  a  wide-spread,  groundless  ex- 
cuse !  Here  we  may  see  the  error  of  our  times. 
People  look  for  the  fault  outside  of  themselves, 
and  not  in  themselves.  The  inventive  power  of 
the  age  is  here  truly  astonishing!  When,  owing 
to  false  management,  the  voice  soon  degenerates 
instead  of  improving  with  time,  it  is  the  conse- 
quence of  a  faulty  formation  of  the  throat,  and  of 
the  neglect  of  London  throat  brushes  !  If  such 
badly  educated  voices  can  no  longer  produce  a 
pianOy  it  is  owing  to  the  unskilfulness  of  nature, 
and  to  the  false  construction  of  the  necessary 
organs  !  If  the  piano  is  only  a  wheeze,  the  reason 
is  found  in  the  deficiency  of  palate,  and  excess  of 


no  Piano  and  Song, 

muscles  !  If  several  times  in  the  month,  the  worn 
out,  weary  voice  can  only  groan  and  sigh,  or  cannot 
emit  a  sound,  it  is  the  result  of  a  change  in  the 
weather,  or  other  meteorological  conditions  !  If  we 
complain  of  unpleasant,  shrieking  tones,  occasioned 
by  the  mouth  being  too  widely  stretched,  then  "  the 
rays  of  sound  take  an  oblique,  instead  of  a  direct 
course  "  !  If  the  poor,  strained  medium  voice,  even 
with  the  help  of  a  great  deal  of  breath,  can  only 
produce  dull,  hollow,  veiled,  and  unpleasant  tones, 
that  is  said  to  be  a  necessary  crisis,  of  which  cruel 
Nature  requires  a  great  many  in  the  course  of  her 
development  of  the  voice !  Finally,  if  from  long 
and  forced  holding  of  the  chest-tones,  they  are 
changed  into  noises  like  the  bellowing  of  calves 
and  the  quacking  of  ducks,  and  the  instructor 
finally  perceives  it,  then  again  we  have  a  crisis  I 
Andj  alas !  no  one  thinks  of  "  the  three  trifles." 

What  occasions  the  want  of  success  of  our  sing- 
ing-teachers, many  of  whom  are  musical,  possess 
a  delicate  ear,  fine  culture  and  feeling,  have  studied 
systems  of  singing,  and  exert  themselves  zealously 
to  teach  rightly  ? 

They  fail  in  the  culture  of  the  tone,  which  is  not 
to  be  learned  from  books  or  by  one's  self,  but  only 


Thoughts  on  Singing.  iii 

from  verbal  communication.  To  learn  to  produce 
a  clear  tone,  with  a  light,  free,  natural  attack ;  to 
understand  how  to  draw  forth  the  sound  with 
the  use  of  no  unnecessary  breath,  and  to  cause 
the  sound  to  strike  against  the  rc/of  of  the  mouth 
above  the  upper  row  of  teeth  ;  to  improve  the 
pronunciation  ;  to  adjust  the  registers,  —  these, 
with  many  other  things,  may  seem  very  easy ;  but 
to  teach  them  all  in  the  shortest  time,  without  wear- 
ing out  the  voice  and  without  falling  into  errors  ; 
to  persevere  in  teaching  to  the  end,  even  if  the 
pupil  already  sings  correctly  ;  to  know  what  is  still 
wanting  and  how  it  is  to  be  attained,  —  all  these 
one  must  acquire  by  long  and  constant  experience. 
When  Schroder-Devrient  came  from  Vienna  to 
Dresden,  a  young  but  already  celebrated  singer, 
though  at  that  time  wanting  in  the  proper  founda- 
tion for  singing,  she  was  not  a  little  surprised  when 
Miksch  called  her  attention  to  this  deficiency.  She 
devoted  herself  thoroughly  to  the  primary  forma- 
tion of  the  tone  under  the  instruction  of  Miksch, 
and  must  still  remember  the  old  master,  and  his 
extraordinary  practice  in  this  particular.  Miksch 
learned  it  from  Caselli,  a  pupil  of  Bernacchi.  He 
had  just  sung  as  a  young  tenor,  with  great  ap- 
plause, in  a  concert,  and  introduced  himself  to 


112  Piano  and  Song. 

Caselli,  who  was  present,  expecting  to  receive  his 
approbation  ;  but  the  latter,  instead  of  commend- 
ing, assured  him  frankly  that  his  mode  of  singing 
was  false,  and  that  with  such  misuse  his  voice 
would  succumb  within  a  year,  unless  he  adopted 
a  correct  culture  of  tone.  After  much  hard  strug- 
gle, the  young  Miksch  renounced  all  further  pubhc 
applause,  and  studied  the  formation  of  tone  assid- 
uously and  perseveringly  with  Caselli,  after  having 
previously  allowed  his  over-strained  voice  a  time 
for  rest. 

If  a  singing-teacher  has,  by  chance,  met  with 
a  docile  pupil,  possessed  of  a  voice  of  unusual 
beauty,  it  frequently  happens  that  the  studies  are 
not  pursued  with  sufficient  perseverance  ;  and,  per- 
haps, are  continued  only  for  a  few  weeks  or  months, 
instead  of  allowing  a  year  or  more,  according  to 
circumstances.  Richard  Wagner  agrees  with  me, 
when  he  says,  **  Why,  then,  write  operas  to  be  sung, 
when  we  no  longer  have  either  male  or  female 
singers  ? " 

Since  modern  progress  has  come  to  regard  "  the 
three  trifles  "  as  belonging  entirely  to  the  past,  and 
in  their  place  has  proclaimed,  "Boldness,  Spirit, 
Power,"  two  evil  spirits  have  had  rule :  they  go 


TJioughts  oil  Singing.  113 

hand  in  hand,  ruin  the  voice,  wound  the  cultivated 
ear,  and  provide  for  us  —  only  empty  opera  houses. 
One  of  these  evils  has  been  frequently  alluded  to 
by  me.  It  is  "  the  expenditure  of  a  great  deal  too 
much  breath."  The  finest  voices  are  obliged  to 
practise  with  full  breath  until  they  shriek,  and 
the  result  is  mere  sobbing,  and  the  heavy  draw- 
ing of  the  breath,  just  at  the  time  when  the  tone 
should  still  be  heard.  Even  if  every  thing  else 
could  be  right,  in  such  a  culture  of  the  tone,  which 
must  very  shortly  relax  the  muscles  of  the  voice, 
that  one  thing,  in  itself,  would  be  sufficient  to  de- 
stroy all  promise  of  success. 

The  second  evil  endangers  even  the  male  voice, 
which  is  able  to  endure  much  ill-treatment ;  while 
the  female  voice  is  quickly  forced  by  it  into  a  pierc- 
ing shrillness,  or  is  driven  back  into  the  throat, 
soon  to  be  entirely  exhausted,  or  is,  at  least,  pre- 
vented from  attaining  a  natural,  fine  development. 
This  second  evil  is  the  reckless  and  destructive 
straining  of  single  tones  to  their  extreme  limits, 
even  to  perfect  exhaustion.  The  poor  singer  urges 
and  squeezes  out  the  voice,  and  quivers  to  the 
innermost  marrow,  in  order  that  the  two  require- 
ments of  "Boldness"  and  "Power"  may  be  satis- 
fied.   But  the  "  Spirit "  is  still  wanting,  which  should 

H 


114  Pia7io  and  Song. 

be  shown  in  a  light  and  well-shaded  delivery.  The 
effect  of  extreme  shading,  however,  is  accomplished 
in  a  single  "romanza."  The  unfortunate,  misdi- 
rected singer,  who  must  aim  at  effect,  lays  out  so 
much  force  on  single  tones,  or  even  on  whole  lines, 
and  that,  too,  in  the  best  register  of  his  voice  (the 
other  registers  do  not  permit  this),  that  the  suc- 
ceeding tones  are  forced  to  retire  powerless  into 
the  throat ;  and  the  beautiful,  fresh,  youthful  tenor 
or  bass  voice  concludes  with  exhausted  groaning 
and  mere  speaking  tones.  The  "  romanza  "  is  now 
at  an  end,  and  certainly  "  Boldness,  Spirit,  and 
Power "  have  worked  in  union.  The  task  is  exe- 
cuted the  better,  because  a  rude  accompaniment 
has  probably  sustained  the  singer  in  a  most  strik- 
ing manner,  and  has  completed  the  total  effect. 

By  such  management,  to  which  I  must  emphati- 
cally add  the  continual  holding  of  the  tones,  even 
in  ih^fortey  voices  are  expected  "to  come  out,"  to 
be  developed,  inspired,  and  made  beautiful.  What 
healthy  ear  can  endure  such  enormities  in  tone 
formation,  such  tortures  in  singing .?  These,  then, 
are  the  modern  contributions  for  the  embellish- 
ment of  art!  A  curse  on  these  evil  spirits!  If^ 
my  feeble  pen  shall  assist  in  bringing  such  singing- 
teachers  to  their  senses,  ^nd  shall  help  to  save  only 


Thoughts  on  Singing.  115 

a  few  of  our  fine  voices,  I  shall  consider  my  mis- 
sion fulfilled,  and  the  aim  of  this  book,  so  far  as  it 
concerns  singing,  accomplished. 

I  have  heretofore  combated  many  prejudices, 
both  in  earnest  and  in  sport,  successfully  and 
unsuccessfully  ;  but  one  I  find  very  obstinate,  —  it 
has  pursued  me  incessantly  for  years.  A  piano- 
player,  with  a  rigid,  strained,  and  vicious  touch, 
proceeding  from  the  arm,  may  play  a  great  deal, 
but  his  playing  is  thoroughly  vulgar  and  without 
beauty.  He  feels  this  himself,  and  the  playing  of 
my  pupils  pleases  him  better.  He  wishes  me  to 
change  his  style  to  their  better  manner;  but  he 
still  continues  to  pound,  to  bang,  to  exaggerate, 
and  to  play  in  his  own  way,  and  only  wishes  his 
style  to  be  improved,  and  his  power  of  execution 
to  be  increased.  If  a  performer  of  this  sort  is  not 
much  more  than  twenty  years  of  age,  something 
may  yet  be  done  for  the  improvement  of  his  touch, 
and  consequently  of  his  style  of  playing ;  but  this 
is  only  possible  by  laying  aside  all  his  accustomed 
pieces  of  music,  and  by  diligently  practising,  daily, 
small  easy  exercises,  which  must  be  played  deli- 
cately, with  loose  fingers,  and  without  allowing  the 
arm  to  give  the  slightest  assistance ;  otherwise,  alJ 


Ii6  Piano  and  Song. 

labor  will  be  thrown  away  upon  him.  How  else 
can  you  begin,  except  by  laying  a  proper  founda- 
tion for  a  better  style?  I  have  frequently  urged 
this  principle  both  by  speech  and  in  writing ;  but 
the  difficulty  always  returns,  and  especially  in  the 
cultivation  of  female  singers. 

A  girl  of  eighteen  comes  to  me :  she  has  heard 
of  the  excellent  cultivation  of  my  lady  singers,  and 
wishes  to  obtain  the  same  for  herself.  In  order  that 
I  may  hear  her  voice,  she  selects  the  "  Erlkonig," 
by  Schubert,  that  perilous  piece,  which  is  apt  to 
lead  even  highly  cultivated  singers  into  frightful 
atrocities.  Heavens !  what  must  I  hear  ?  With 
the  remains  of  a  fine,  youthful  voice,  whose  regis- 
ters are  already  broken  up  and  disconnected,  she 
shrieks  out  the  "Erlkonig,"  between  sobs  and 
groans,  with  screwed-up  chest-tones,  and  many 
modern  improprieties,  but  nevertheless  with  dra- 
matic talent.  The  piercing  voice,  forced  to  its 
utmost,  fills  me  with  horror  ;  but  also  with  pity  for 
such  a  glorious  endowment,  and  such  an  unnatural 
development.  At  the  conclusion,  her  voice  suc- 
cumbed to  the  effort,  and  she  could  only  groan 
hoarsely,  and  wheeze  without  emitting  a  sound. 
She  has,  however,  frequently  produced  great  effect 
in  society,  and  drawn  tears  with  this  performance: 


Thoughts  on  Singing.  117 

it  is  her  favorite  piece.  Let  us  abandon  this 
singing  for  parties,  this  melancholy  dilettantismusy  ■ 
everywhere  so  obtrusive !  The  girl  is  only  eighteen 
years  old :  is  she  beyond  salvation  ?  I  endeavor  to 
build  her  voice  up  again,  gradually,  by  gentle  prac- 
tice. She  succeeds  very  well  in  it,  and  after  six 
lessons  her  natural  docility  arouses  hope.  The 
head-tones  again  make  their  appearance,  and  the 
practice  of  solfeggio  brings  out  once  more  the  stifled 
voice  which  had 'been  forced  back  into  the  throat  by 
senseless  exertions;  a  better  attack  begins  to  be 
developed,  and  the  chest-register  returns  to  its  nat- 
ural limits.  She  now  declared,  with  her  mother's 
approval,  that  she  really  would  continue  to  study  in 
this  way,  but  she  could  not  giye  up  the  perform- 
ance of  her  effective  and  spiriteii  conception  of  the 
"  Erlkonig."  She  came  a  few  times  more  :  I  could 
perceive  that  the  good  structure  was  tottering. 
After  a  few  months,  she  had  entirely  sacrificed  her 
voice  to  this  single  **  Erlkonig.^'  In  such  tender 
years,  one  such  idol  is  sufficient.  What  a  price  for 
an  "  Erlkonig  "  !  The  old,  experienced  singing- 
teacher,  Miksch,  of  Dresden  (with  the  exception  of 
Rossini,  the  last  famous  champion  of  the  old  school), 
has  often  warned  me  that  radical  amendment  is 
seldom  possible  with  such  over-strained  and  broken 


Il8  Piano  and  Song. 

voices,  which  already  are  obliged  to  struggle  with 
enfeebled  muscles,  even  although  youth  may  excite 
great  and  decided  hopes.  There  is  also  another 
difficulty  :  that  one  of  these  strong,  overstrained 
voices  must  hereafter  be  used  with  much  less 
strength,  if  we  wish  to  cultivate  a  correct  tone ; 
and  it  is  impossible  to  tell  whether  the  chest-tones, 
when  they  are  restored  to  their  true  limit,  will  ever 
come  out  again  as  powerful  and  at  the  same  time  as 
beautiful.  Let  no  musician,  however  talented  and 
cultivated  he  maybe,  ever  adopt  the  teaching  of 
singing,  unless  he  can  combine  with  firmness  of 
character  great  patience,  perseverance,  and  disin- 
terestedness ;  otherwise,  he  will  experience  very  lit- 
tle pleasure  and  very  little  gratitude.  Even  if  the 
"  Erlkonig  "  does  not  stand  in  the  way,  every  voice 
presents  new  and  peculiar  difficulties. 

A  Few  Words  addressed  to  Singing-Teachers  on  the  Accom* 
paniment  of  Etudes^  Exercises,  Scales,  &'c. 

It  is  common  for  teachers  to  play  their  accom- 
paniments as  furiously  as  if  they  had  to  enter  into 
a  struggle  for  life  and  death  with  their  singers.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  lesson,  the  lady  singer  ought 
to  commence  quite  piano,  at  /  in  the  one-lined 
octave,  and  to  sing  up  and  down  from  there  through 


Thoughts  on  Singing,  1 19 

five  or  six  notes,  without  any  expenditure  of  breath, 
and  should  guide  and  bring  out  her  voice  by  a  gen- 
tle practice  of  solfeggio ;  and  yet  you  bang,  and 
pound  on  the  keys,  as  if  you  had  to  accompany 
drums  and  trumpets.  Do  you  not  perceive  that  in 
this  way  you  induce  your  pupils  to  strain  and  force 
their  voices,  and  that  you  mislead  them  into  a  false 
method  ?  In  such  a  noise,  and  while  you  are  mak- 
ing such  a  monstrous  expenditure  of  strength,  to 
which  you  add  a  sharp,  uneasy  touch,  and  a  frequent 
spreading  of  the  chords,  how  can  you  watch  the 
delicate  movements  of  the  singer's  throat  ?  Is  it 
necessary  for  me  to  explain  how  such  a  rude  ac- 
companiment must  interfere  with  the  effort  to  sing 
firmly  and  delicately  ?  Are  you  not  aware  that  a 
light  and  agreeable,  but  at  the  same  time  firm  and 
decided,  accompaniment  encourages  and  sustains 
the  singer,  and  also  assists  and  inspires  her  ?  You 
ought,  in  every  way,  to  seek  to  cultivate  in  your 
pupil  the  feeling  for  the  right,  the  true,  and  the 
beautiful ;  but  what  is  the  girl  of  eighteen  to  think 
of  your  culture  and  your  sentiment,  if  you  pound 
the  keys  as  if  you  were  one  of  the  "  piano-furies  "  ? 
While  this  is  your  mode  of  accompanying  the 
Etudes,  how  then  do  you  accompany  the  aria,  the 
song  ?  If,  for  instance,  the  pupil  is  singing  tenderly. 


I2Q  Piano  and  Song^ 

and  wishes  to  bring  out  an  artistic,  delicate  shading, 
you  take  advantage  of  that  occasion  to  make  your- 
self heard,  and  to  annoy  the  singer  and  the  audience 
with  your  rough  shading.  A  singing-teacher  who 
does  not  take  pains  to  acquire  a  good,  delicate  touch, 
and  who  neglects  to  pay  constant  attention  to  it,  is 
wanting  in  the  first  requirement ;  and  this  is  closely 
connected  with  the  want  of  "  the  three  trifles." 


Visil  at  Mrs,  N.'s,  I2i 


CHAPTER   X. 

VISIT  AT   MRS.   N.'S. 

Mrs.  N.  Her  daughter  Fatima,  eighteen  years  old.  An 
Aunt.  Dominie.  Towards  the  end  of  the  evenings 
the  piano-teacher^  Mr.   Feeble. 

Dominie  {rather  anxiously  to  Fatima).  Will  you 
do  me  the  favor,  Miss,  to  play  something  on  the 
piano }  Your  aunt  has  told  me  a  great  deal  about 
your  playing. 

Fatima  {smiling  graciously).  But,  really,  the 
piano  is  out  of  tune,  —  so  my  teacher  says. 

Dominie.  But  does  not  your  teacher  attend  to 
having  your  piano  always  kept  in  tune } 

Fatima.  Mamma  says  it  is  too  expensive  to 
have  it  tuned  so  often  ;  it  gets  out  of  tune  again 
so  quickly.  It  is  an  old,  small-legged  piano,  as 
you  see:  mamma  is  always  saying,  when  I  am 
older  I  shall  have  a  Chickering.  The  tuner  comes 
regularly  once  in  three  months  ;  the  time  is  not 
yet  up. 

Dominie.    But  is  your  teacher  satisfied  with  the 
tuning  of  your  piano } 
6 


122  Piano  and  Song, 

Fatima.  Well,  he  has  got  used  to  it.  It  is  the 
same  with  the  other  instruments  he  teaches  on. 

Mrs.  N.  Now,  pet,  play  us  something.  Mr. 
Dominie  likes  music ;  he  is  a  judge  of  it ;  his 
daughters  play  too. 

Fatima.     But  what  shall  I  play,  mamma  } 

Mrs.  N.  You  have  got  heaps  of  notes  there. 
Mr.  Dominie,  pray  select  something. 

Dominie.  But  I  don't  know  which  pieces  Miss 
Fatima  can  master,  and  which  she  has  now  at  her 
fingers'  ends. 

Aunt.  Pray,  Mr.  Dominie,  choose  any  thing. 
They  are  all  fine  pieces.  It  makes  no  difference 
to  her  which  she  plays. 

Dominie.     But  do  you  play  that  whole  heap } 

Aunt.  She  has  played  it  all.  She  has  played 
ever  since  she  was  ten  years  old,  and  she  has  a 
very  good  teacher.  He  taught  here  when  my 
sister  used  to  accompany  her  lover's  solos  on  the 
flute.  Oh,  those  were  charming  musical  evenings ! 
And  the  teacher  often  played  the  guitar  with  them 
extempore.     It  was  just  like  a  concert. 

Dominie.  Indeed !  that  must  have  been  very 
fine.     Now,  Miss,  I  beg  — 

Fatima.  But,  mamma,  just  say  what  I  shall 
play. 


Visil  at  Mrs.  N's.  123 

Dominie.  Is  not  your  teacher  here  this  even- 
ing ?     He  will  know  best. 

Aunt  {^whispers  to  Dominie).  He  is  busy  this 
evening,  composing  some  grand  bravoura  varia- 
tions, which  are  to  be  dedicated  to  Fatima  on 
her  eighteenth  birthday,  the  day  after  to-morrow. 
You  must  come  to  see  us  on  that  day.  Fatima  will 
play  them  at  sight. 

Mrs.  N.  Fatima,  don't  hold  back  any  longer. 
Play  "  The  Huguenots  "  by  Thai  berg ;  that's  a  very 
fine  piece. 

Dominie.  Pray  do!  I  have  not  heard  it  since 
I  heard  Thalberg  play  it. 

Aunt  (to  Dominie).  Don't  you  make  your 
daughters  play  it  then }  Oh,  that  magnificent 
choral !  That  brings  tears  to  my  eyes  !  But  the 
dear  child  always  takes  it  too  fast:  her  fingers 
run  away  with  her. 

Mrs.  N.  Here*  it  is.  Will  you  have  the  good- 
ness to  turn  over  for  her,  Mr.  Dominie  ?  You  are 
such  a  famous  teacher,  perhaps  you  can  make  some 
suggestions.     (/  was  expected  only  to  admire^ 

Dominie.  I  don't  like  to  disturb  her  free- 
dom in  playing  ;  but  I  will  turn  over,  if  you 
say  so. 


124  Piano  and  Song, 

(Fatima  scurries  through  the  piece  excitedly ^  and 

plays  in  a  bold  way^  —  not^  however ^  without 

ability y  but  with  a  feeble  touchy  without  proper 

fingering,  without  tone,  without  time  ;  and  gets 

over  the  first  two  pages,  with  her  foot  always 

on  the  pedaly   in  such  a  senseless,    indistinct 

manner  that  Dominie,  in  despair,  was  forced 

to  interrupt  with  the  remark,  "  But  you  might 

take  the  tempo  a  little  more  quietly  "  ) 

{Fatima  leans  back  amazed,  and  stops  playing^ 

looking  at  her  mother  with  a   contemptuous 

expression^ 

Aunt.     It  is  owing  to  her  great  execution,  and 

then,  too,  her  youthful  enthusiasm.      Don't  you 

like  her  natural  expression  ? 

Fatima.  My  teacher  always  makes  me  play  it 
so.  It  is  in  that  way  that  I  have  learned  to  play 
so  much  at  sight 

Dominie.     But  don't  you  study  your  pieces  ? 
Fatima.     For  the  last  four  years  I  have  played 
only  at  sight,  so  that  now  I  can  get  on  anywhere 
in  the  musical  clubs.     That  is  what  mamma  likes. 

Dominie.  But  do  you  not  play  any  scales  and 
Etudes  ?  do  you  not  practise  any  exercises  .'* 

Aunt.  She  has  not  done  those  things  for  the 
last  four  years.     My  sister  thinks  it  is  rather  a 


Visit  at  Mrs.  N!s.  125 

hiiiiirance,  and  is  too  pedantic.  Her  teacher 
thinks  so  too,  and  he  teaches  her  the  fine  concert 
pieces  of  Dohler,  Liszt,  Dreyschock,  Willmer,  and 
Thalberg.  She  learns  execution  by  these.  She 
has  gone  through  all  Thalberg's  music  ;  and  we 
have  sent  to  Leipzig  for  Willmer's  "  Pompa  di 
Festa." 

Dominie.  All  this  shows  great  entliusiasm,  but 
really  a  little  too  much  hot  haste. 

(Dominie  wishes  to  co7itinue  the  conversation^  in 

order  to  escape  the  unpleasa?it  necessity  of  turn- 

iitg  the  leaves,^ 

Mrs.  N.  iijtterrupts).     My  child,  just  begin  again 

at  the  beginning,  and  let  us  enjoy  the  whole  of 

"  The  Huguenots."     Mr.  Dominie  likes  it. 

(Fatima  consents^  and  hurries  through  the  whole 

Potpourri  zuith  a  confident,  conceited  air,  to  the 

great  despair  of  Dominie.     At  the  choral y  the 

aunt  taps  Jiim  on  the  shoulder,  and  whispers^ 

Aunt.     Is  not  that  touching }     It  is  a  little  too 

fast,  you  will  agree  ;  but  then  the  execution  !     Has 

not  the  girl  a  great  deal  of  talent }     Just  hear  ! 

But  what  did  Dominie  say  after  the  performance 
was  over.?  He  only  bowed  stiffly,  and  what  he 
said  to  himself  will  always  remain  a  secret.  He 
only  felt. 


126  Piano  and  Song, 

They  go  in  to  supper.  All  who  submitted  to 
hearing  the  daughter  perform  on  the  badly  tuned 
piano,  which  was  at  least  a  tone  and  a  hil£  too 
low,  were  invited  to  supper  and  handsomely  treated. 
The  wine  was  better  than  the  piano.  Presently 
the  teacher,  Mr.  Feeble,  having  finished  his  birth- 
day bravoura  composition,  appeared  and  was  in- 
troduced. Fatima  whispered  to  him,  giggling,  "  I 
played  the  whole  of  *  The  Huguenots ; '  it  went 
splendidly."  Mr.  Feeble  simpered.  Dominie  and  he 
talked  together,  unheard,  at  the  end  of  the  table. 

Dominie.  The  young  lady  has  talent,  Mr. 
Feeble. 

Mr.  Feeble.     Indeed  she  has  ! 

Dominie.  How  is  it,  Mr.  Feeble,  that  she  does 
not  combine  serious  studies  with  her  playing  > 

Mr.  Feeble.  Oh !  I  used  to  make  her  play 
exercises  by  A.  E.  Mueller,  and  some  Etudes  of 
Czerny's,  and  sometimes  a  few  scales.  But  the 
child  was  so  volatile,  and  had  so  little  persever- 
ance, and  was  so  quick  at  learning  every  thing! 
And  then  her  mother  wanted  her  to  play  modern 
pieces  for  parties,  and  we  had  to  busy  ourselves 
with  those.  But  our  method  has  borne  good  fruit, 
as  you  can  see.     Is  not  it  so  ? 


Visz^  at  Mrs,  N's,  127 

Dominie.  Do  you  not  think,  with  firmness  and 
decision,  you  could  have  set  Mrs.  N.  on  the  right 
track.?  Could  not  you  cultivate  the  mechanical 
powers  of  your  pupil,  and  combine  an  understand- 
ing of  the  musical  construction  of  the  piece,  with 
her  "  playing  at  sight "  }  The  young  lady,  not  to 
speak  of  other  faults,  has  no  tone  on  the  piano. 

Mr.  Feeble.  She  can  use  the  pedal  for  that, 
and,  when  she  is  older,  she  will  acquire  more 
strength  ;  her  touch  is  a  little  too  weak  at  present. 
And,  besides,  she  is  not  to  play  in  public  for 
money,  but  only  in  company,  and  because  it  is 
the  fashion.  Indeed,  my  dear  sir,  if  I  insisted  on 
scales  and  exercises,  I  should  have  very  few  lessons 
in  this  city.  I  have  a  wife  and  children  to  support, 
and  my  old  father,  the  former  organist,  is  dependent 
upon  me.  You  can  do  all  this  with  your  own  chil- 
dren ;  but  think  how  much  time  it  requires  to  study 
the  music ! 

{The  company  bid  each  other  ^^ good-night^*) 

Fatima  (Jlippantly  to  Dominie).  I  believe  your 
daughter  Emma  is  a  very  good  player ;  but  they 
say  she  has  not  so  much  talent  as  your  eldest 
daughter. 

Dominie.    Indeed !  who  told  you  that  ? 


128  Piano  and  Song, 


CHAPTER  XL 

SECRETS. 

\^A  Discourse  on  Piano-Playing,  delivered  to  an  Audiettce 

of  Lady  Pupils.) 

Ladies,  —  As  I  am  about  to  make  a  journey  of 
a  few  weeks  with  my  daughters,  we  will  suspend 
for  a  short  time  our  musical  meetings.  On  my 
return,  you  will  resume  them  with  fresh  interest. 
We  will  then  not  only  play  and  sing  together,  but 
occasionally  talk  upon  kindred  subjects.  Your 
friends  will  be  made  welcome,  provided  they  are 
really  interested  in  simple  and  noble  musical  per- 
formances, which  make  no  attempt  at  display. 
We  will  exclude  from  our  circle  malicious  criticism 
and  idle  curiosity  :  we  require  the  accompaniment 
of  the  violin  and  'cello,  but  not  of  those  two  dis- 
turbing elements. 

To-day  I  wish  to  propound  a  query  in  regard  to 
piano-playing,  to  the  partial  solution  of  which  you 
will  perhaps  be  glad  to  give  some  attention.  You 
may  be  sure  that  I  shall  always  speak  only  upon 


Secrets.  129 

subjects  which  are  not  even  mentioned  in  the 
most  crowded  piano-schools. 

Query.  Why  is  it  that  our  young,  educated 
ladies,  who  enjoy  the  advantages  of  sufficient 
talent,  industry,  a  serious  purpose,  and  all  the 
necessary  aids,  are  usually  dissatisfied  with  their 
progress  and  with  their  success  in  piano-playing  ? 

Their  education  is  a  sufficiently  careful  one, 
extending  to  all  branches  of  knowledge ;  but  their 
intellectual  advancement  in  music  (although  it  has 
been  fostered  for  years,  by  constantly  listening  to 
good  music,  and  frequently  to  the  performances  of 
distinguished  players,  and  by  a  critical  comparison 
of  their  own  performances  with  these)  is  still 
small  in  proportion  to  their  power  of  execution, 
and  to  the  mechanical  facility  which  they  have 
acquired.  These  are  certainly  essential  to  a  cor- 
rect and  agreeable  rendering  of  a  piece  of  music : 
the  compositions  which  are  to  be  performed  ought, 
however,  never  to  demand  the  exercise  of  all  the 
mechanical  skill  which  has  been  acquired,  for  in 
that  case,  by  the  struggle  with  mechanical  diffi- 
culties, only  embarrassment,  discouragement,  and 
anxious  haste  are  apt  to  take  the  place  of  boldness, 
confidence  in  one's  self,  and  command  of  the  music. 
It  is  the  duty  of  teachers,  in  choosing  studies  foi 
6*  1 


130  Piajw  and  Song, 

the  improvement  of  technique,  to  select  only  such 
as  are  within  the  mechanical  powers  of  the  pupil, 
in  order  that  he  may  make  steady  progress,  and 
may  acquire  a  pure  and  delicate  style  of  execution, 
retaining  at  the  same  time  a  lively  interest  in  his 
pursuit.  But  why  has  the  acquirement  of  this 
technique  been  usually  unsuccessful  ? 

I.  Because  you  begin  to  acquire  it  too  late.  In 
order  to  gain  facility  and  flexibility  of  the  fingers 
and  wrist  (which  a  child  in  the  sixth  or  seventh 
year,  with  a  skilful  teacher,  may  acquire  in  four 
lessons),  from  fifteen  to  twenty  lessons,  according 
to  the  construction  of  the  hand,  are  necessary  with 
persons  from  ten  to  fourteen  years  old.  For  other 
reasons  also,  we  must  urge  that  the  mechanical 
facility  should  usually  be  acquired,  or  at  least  a 
complete  foundation  for  it  laid  in  childhood,  and 
not  left  to  be  formed  by  a  course  which  is  destruc- 
tive of  all  spirit,  at  an  age  when  labor  is  performed 
with  self-consciousness,  —  an  age  when  our  ladies 
are  talking  a  great  deal  of  musical  interpretations, 
of  tenderness  and  depth  of  feeling,  of  poetry  and 
inspiration  in  playing,  to  which  they  are  led  by 
the  possession  of  our  classical  piano  compositions 
and  immortal  master-works,  and  by  intellectual 
friends  and  teachers  aiming  at  the  highest  culture. 


Secrets.  131 

You  reply  :  "  But  even  if  your  mode  of  elementary 
instruction  should  meet  with  faithful  disciples, 
how,  in  such  young  pupils,  are  we  to  find  perse- 
verance and  sense  enough  to  continue  these  severe 
exercises,  even  in  your  interesting  manner?" 
My  dear  ladies,  children  ought  to  do  it  merely 
from  habit,  although  in  many  cases,  after  the 
beginning,  talent  and  correct  musical  instinct  may 
make  their  appearance.  Uninterrupted  enjoyment 
would  indeed  be  unnatural,  and  where  you  find  it 
vanity  will  usually  be  its  moving  spring,  and  this 
seldom  bears  good  fruit.  You  may  as  well  ask 
whether  our  great  literary  men  and  artists  always 
like  to  go  to  school,  or  whether  they  did  not 
delight  in  a  holiday.  Let  this  be  the  answer  to 
the  strange  question.  Do  your  daughters  like  to 
play  .'*  Good  heavens !  After  they  are  able 
to  play,  and  that  without  much  effort,  and  a  little 
at  sight ;  when  they  can  master,  with  a  musical 
appreciation,  easy,  graceful  salon  music,  or  even 
the  easier  compositions  of  Beethoven,  Mendelssohn, 
Chopin,  Hummel,  Moscheles,  &c.,  —  then  they  take 
pleasure  in  playing,  and  they  play  a  great  deal,  and 
with  enthusiasm. 

2.  But,  in  case  children  should  sometimes  begin 
in  their  sixth  year,  you  must  remember  what  is  said. 


132  Piano  and  Song. 

in  the  first  chapter  of  this  work,  with  regard  to  the 
prevalent  false  method  of  teaching  beginners.  Yon, 
however,  are  supposed  to  have  had  better  and  more 
sensible  teachers.  Let  me  nevertheless  quote  for 
your  amusement  the  remark  which  I  have  heard 
so  frequently  in  the  course  of  my  long  life  as  a 
piano-teacher :  "  In  the  beginning,  a  poor,  rattling 
piano,  that  is  forty  years  old,  and  that  is  tuned  regu- 
larly once  a  year,  and  a  cheap  teacher,  will  do  well 
enough.  As  soon  as  the  children  learn  to  play 
really  well,  then  we  will  have  a  better  piano  and  a 
better  teacher."  Yes  ;  but  that  time  never  comes, 
and  the  parents  soon  conclude  that  even  the  most 
gifted  children  have  no  talent,  and  take  no  pleasure 
in  music  ;  and  so  they  stop  learning,  only  to  regret 
it  when  they  are  older.  But  the  parents  console 
themselves,  and  after  a  while  the  old  piano  is  never 
tuned  at  all.  But,  as  I  have  told  you,  I  do  not  refer 
here  to  your  teachers,  for  whom  I  have  a  personal 
regard,  and  who  teach  on  excellent  pianos. 

3.  Don't  be  angry  with  me  for  my  suggestion, 
ladies :  you  do  not  make  enough  use  of  the  minutes. 
While  our  learned  education  absorbs  so  much  time, 
while  our  friends  require  so  many  hours,  while, 
alas !  balls  and  dinners  consume  whole  days,  we 
must  be  sparing  of  the  remaining  minutes. 


Secrets.  133 

*'  Now  I  must  rush  to  the  piano  !  I  must  go  to 
dinner  in  ten  minutes  :  two  scales,  two  finger  exer- 
cises, two  difficult  passages  out  of  the  piece  I  have 
to  learn,  and  one  exercise  to  invent  on  the  domi- 
nant and  sub-dominant,  are  soon  done  ;  and  then 
the  dinner  will  taste  all  the  better." 

"My  dear  Agnes,  w«  might  talk  for  ever  about 
this  dreadful  snow,  it  won't  melt  the  sooner  for  it : 
how  do  you  like  this  passage  that  I  am  going  to 
play  to  you  ?  It  is  from  a  charming  Nocturne,  by 
Chopin,  and  is  so  difficult  that  I  shall  have  to  play 
it  over  fifty  times,  or  else  I  shall  always  stumble  at 
this  place,  and  I  never  shall  know  the  Nocturne  to 
play  to  any  one.  Don't  you  think  it  is  beautiful  ?  — 
so  spiritual  and  original !  I  can  tell  you  it  will  be 
something  to  boast  of,  when  I  have  accomplished 
that.  You  like  it  better  the  oftener  I  play  it  ?  So 
do  I." 

"  We  have  an  invitation  out.  Mother  has  a  great 
deal  to  arrange,  and  directions  to  give.  We  shall 
have  to  go  in  ten  minutes.  I  must  rush  to  the 
piano,  though  I  am  in  rather  an  inconvenient 
toilette :  I  may  as  well  accustom  myself  to  play  in 
it.  I  shall  have  to  spend  three  hours  this  evening 
without  any  music.  Well,  to  make  up  for  it,  I  will 
occupy  myself  for  the  next  ten  minutes  with  an 


134  Piano  and  Song. 

exercise  for  this  obstinate  fourth  finger,  though  it 
is  pretty  dry.  That  weak  finger  has  been  a  hin- 
drance to  many  a  fine  passage  and  scale.  That  is 
better !  Now  I  can  put  on  my  tight  gloves.  Sup- 
pose I  should  put  on  the  left  glove  on  the  way." 

Well,  my  young  ladies,  how  many  hours  do  you 
think  all  those  minutes  would  make  in  a  year  .^ 
But  I  hear  you  say,  "  What  is  the  use  of  worrying 
to  pick  up  all  those  stray  minutes,  like  lost  pins } 
We  have  a  whole  hour  to  practise  every  day,  when 
nothing  prevents."  Exactly,  when  nothing  pre- 
vents. 

I  will  now  tell  you  a  few  of  my  secrets  for  piano 
performers. 

If  in  piano-playing,  or  in  any  art,  you  wish  to 
attain  success,  you  must  resolve  to  work  every  day, 
at  least  a  little,  on  the  technique.  Sickness  and 
other  unavoidable  interruptions  deprive  you  of 
days  enough. 

Practise  always  with  unexhausted  energy :  the 
result  will  be  tenfold.  Do  you  not  frequently  use 
the  time  for  practising,  when  you  have  already  been 
at  work  studying  for  five  or  six  hours  }  Have  you 
then  strength  and  spirit  enough  to  practise  the 
necessary  exercises  for  an  hour  or  more,  and  to 
study  your  music-pieces  carefully  and  attentively, 


Secrets.  135 

as  your  teacher  instructed  you  ?  Is  not  your  mind 
exhausted,  and  are  not  your  hands  and  fingers  tired 
and  stiff  with  writing,  so  that  you  are  tempted  to 
help  out  with  your  arms  and  elbows,  which  is  worse 
than  no  practice  at  all  ?  But,  my  dear  ladies,  if  you 
practise  properly,  several  times  every  day,  ten  min- 
utes at  a  time,  your  strength  and  your  patience  are 
usually  sufficient  for  it  ;  and,  if  you  are  obliged  to 
omit  your  regular  "hour's  practice,"  you  have,  at 
any  rate,  accomplished  something  with  your  ten 
minutes  before  breakfast,  or  before  dinner,  or  at 
any  leisure  moment.  So,  I  beg  of  you,  let  me  have 
my  minutes. 

Practise  often,  slowly,  and  without  pedal,  not 
only  the  smaller  and  larger  6tudes,  but  also  your 
pieces.  In  that  way  you  gain,  at  least,  a  correct, 
healthy  mode  of  playing,  which  is  the  foundation  of 
beautiful  playing.  Do  you  do  this  when  neither 
your  teacher,  nor  your  father  or  mother  is  present 
to  keep  watch  over  you  .?  Do  you  never  say,  "  No- 
body is  listening  "  ? 

Do  you  take  enough  healthy  exercise  in  the  open 
air  1  Active  exercise,  in  all  weather,  makes  strong, 
enduring  piano  fingers,  while  subsisting  on  indoor- 
air  results  in  sickly,  nervous,  feeble,  overstrained 
playing.      Strong,    healthy   fingers    are   only    too 


136  Piano  and  Song. 

essential  for  our  present  style  of  piano-playing, 
which  requires  such  extraordinary  execution,  and 
for  our  heavy  instruments.  So  I  still  beg  for  the 
minutes  :  your  walks  take  up  hours  enough. 

Excessive  and  fatiguing  feminine  occupations, 
and  drawing,  or  painting,  are  by  no  means  consist- 
ent with  an  earnest,  practical  musical  education  ; 
not  only  because  both  those  occupations  require  so 
much  time,  but  because  they  deprive  the  fingers  of 
the  requisite  pliability  and  dexterity,  while  knitting, 
according  to  the  latest  discoveries,  produces  an  un- 
natural nervous  excitement,  which  is  unfavorable  to 
healthy  progress  in  music.  I  at  least,  in  my  instruc- 
tion on  the  piano,  have  never  been  able  to  accom- 
plish much  with  ladies  who  are  devoted  to  knitting, 
crochet,  and  embroidering.  My  dear  ladies,  you 
who  have  been  born  in  fortunate  circumstances, 
and  have  been  educated  by  your  parents,  without 
regard  to  expense,  should,  at  least,  allow  the  poor 
girl  in  the  country,  who  is  obliged  to  hide  her  tal- 
ents under  a  bushel,  the  small  privilege  of  making 
a  collar  for  your  mother's  or  your  aunt's  birthday 
present.  I  assure  you  your  mother  or  your  aunt, 
if  you  surprise  them  instead  with  a  fine  piano  per- 
formance, will  be  as  much  pleased  as  if  you  strained 
your  eyes  and  bent  ^^our  back  for  days  and  nights 


Secrets,  137 

over  the  needle-work.  And  now  as  regards  paint- 
ing :  painting  and  music,  though  theoretically  so 
nearly  related,  agree  but  poorly  in  practice  ;  at  least, 
if  you  are  in  earnest  about  either.  You  say  paint- 
ers often  play  on  the  guitar  and  the  flute.  That 
may  be  true :  I  will  allow  them  those  two  instru- 
ments. But  piano-playing  stands  on  a  different 
footing,  even  for  mere  amateurs.  Sweet  melodies 
on  those  instruments  may  afford  an  agreeable  com- 
panionship for  j^he  painter  in  his  rambles  through 
the  woods  and  over  the  hills  ;  but  piano-playing 
should  be  the  friend  of  a  life-time,  ennobled  by  the 
elevating  enjoyment  of  lofty  master- works.  There- 
fore, I  beg  you,  do  not  dissipate  your  powers  too 
much.  Leave  the  art  of  painting  to  your  friends, 
who  are  either  without  talent  for  music,  or  who 
have  no  opportunity  to  study  it.  Our  short  lives 
do  not  allow  the  successful  practice  of  several  arts. 
Of  what  advantage  to  our  higher  culture  is  it  to  be 
able  to  do  ten  things  tolerably  well ;  what  gain  for 
the  future,  for  humanity,  or  for  the  true  happiness 
of  the  individual.?  And  even  if  you  can  succeed 
in  painting  something  which  scarcely  can  be  said 
to  resemble  a  rose,  of  what  advantage  is  it,  when 
we  have  so  many  real  roses  to  admire  ? 

My  dear  ladies,  I  warn  you,  generally,  do  not 


138  Piano  and  Song, 

be  afraid  of  the  so-called  classical,  heavy  music, 
especially  Beethoven's,  if  you  desire  to  learn  from 
it,  only  or  chiefly,  repose,  lightness,  facility,  elas- 
ticity, graceful,  delicate  playing,  and  a  fine  touch. 
It  is  necessary  to  play  such  music  after  those  brill- 
iant qualities  have  already  been,  to  a  certain  degree, 
acquired  by  mere  studies  and  appropriate  pieces. 
It  is,  however,  still  more  foolish  and  impractical, 
when  parents  (who  perhaps  are  skilful  musicians, 
but  who  have  no  recollection  of  their  own  youth) 
hold  the  mistaken  opinion  that  their  children  ought, 
from  the  very  beginning,  to  practise  and  play  only 
fine  classical  music,  in  order  that  the  children's 
ears  may  not  be  injured  by  false  progressions,  by 
insignificant  finger  exercises,  and  by  easily  com- 
prehensible Italian  airs,  and  that  they  themselves 
may  not  be  ruined  body  and  soul.  Gracious 
heavens !  how  much  pure  music,  suited  to  the 
piano,  have  not  my  daughters,  as  well  as  many 
others  whom  I  have  brought  up  to  be  fine  per- 
formers, played  and  studied  !  —  such,  for  instance, 
as  the  music  of  Hiinten,  Czerny,  Burgmiiller, 
Kalkbrenner,  A.  and  J.  Schmitt,  Herz,  and  many 
others.  Who  finds  fault  now  with  their  musical 
culture,  with  their  sound  taste,  or  their  want  of 
love  for  classical   music  ^     What  a   long   road   a 


Secrets,  139 

child  has  to  travel  through  Etudes  of  Ciamer, 
Moscheles,  and  Chopin,  before  he  comes  to  Bach's 
Well-tempered  Clavichord,  or  before  he  is  able, 
or  ought  even,  to  study  Beethoven's  Sonate 
Pathetique !  It  is  not  well,  though  quite  in  the 
spirit  of  the  times,  to  condemn  without  experi- 
ence, from  one's  own  prejudiced  point  of  view, 
the  methods  which  those  skilled  in  their  business 
have  for  years  successfully  tried  and  practised.  It 
is  possible  to  make  pupils  musical  in  the  above 
way,  but  they  will  be  only  dull,  clumsy  bunglers 
on  the  piano  ;  not  fine  artists,  who  alone  can  give 
a  worthy  and  noble  interpretation  of  classical  music. 
I  desire  that  my  daughters  may  never  forget  my 
well-considered  instructions,  sustained  by  the  ex- 
perience of  many  years  ;  and  that  they  may,  in 
grateful  remembrance  of  their  father  and  teacher, 
repay  to  their  pupils  what  they  owe  to  him. 

But  I  see  among  my  audience  several  beginners 
in  singing,  and  I  beg  to  be  allowed  a  word  to  them. 
So  long  as  many  of  our  German  song  composers 
consider  it  beneath  their  dignity  to  study  the  art 
of  singing  in  the  old  Italian  master-works,  and 
under  the  guidance  of  well-qualified  singing  mas- 
ters, —  as  Gluck,  Naumann,  Hasse,  Handel,  Haydn, 
Mozart,  Salieri,  Winter,  and  others  have  done,  —  I 


140  Piano  and  Song. 

warn  you  to  take  care  of  your  tender  voices,  which 
are  so  easily  ruined,  and  not  to  allow  yourselves 
to  be  misled  by  ingenious  opinions,  and  by  music 
otherwise  good.  The  loss  of  your  voices  follows 
in  the  footsteps  of  modern  tortures  in  singing,  as 
you  may  see  sufficiently  in  all  our  theatres,  or, 
indeed,  may  experience  yourselves  in  numberless 
German  songs.  Apply  also  to  singing  what  I  have 
just  said  about  piano-playing:  as  you  should  choose 
for  the  piano  music  suited  to  the  piano,  so  for  your 
studies  in  singing  select  only  that  which  is  adapted 
to  the  voice ;  under  the  guidance  of  prudent  and 
educated  teachers,  not  of  modern  voice  breakers, 
who  allow  you  to  scream,  "in  order  to  bring  out 
the  voice."  When  you  have  acquired  a  good  tech- 
nique, when  your  attack  is  sure,  and  a  certain  skil- 
fulness  in  singing  has  been  developed,  then  only 
you  may  try,  by  way  of  experiment,  a  few  pieces 
of  such  spirited  but  unskilled  song  composers,  who 
frequently  commit  sins  in  every  line  against  correct 
representation,  the  register  of  the  voice,  the  breath- 
ings, the  pronunciation,  and  a  hundred  other  things. 
Look  around  and  see  who  sing  these  so-called 
classical  songs.  They  are  either  singers  who  do  not 
know  what  singing  is,  and  who  have  no  taste  foi 
it,  which,  in  consequence  of  their  education,  they 


Secrets.  141 

never  can  have  ;  or  those  who  no  longer  have  any 
voice,  and  accordingly  sing  every  thing,  or,  rather, 
declaim  it,  because  they  cannot  sing.  I  recommend 
you  to  sing  (to  mention  the  names  of  two  only  of 
our  most  excellent  song  composers)  the  charming 
songs  of  Fr.  Schubert  and  Mendelssohn,  who,  in 
constant  intercourse  with  the  most  judicious  mas- 
ters of  singing  in  Vienna  and  Italy,  have  striven 
constantly  to  compose  scientifically,  and  have  at 
the  same  time  produced  clever  songs  ;  but  you 
should  sing  them  not  too  often,  or  too  many  of 
them.  Singing  in  the  German  language,  and  in 
syllables,  and  often  with  clumsy  melodies,  requires 
a  great  deal  of  voice,  and  easily  leads  to  many 
faults  and  to  a  false  manner.  Remember  how 
strictly  Jenny  Lind  selected,  for  performance  in 
her  concerts,  the  songs  of  Schubert,  Mendelssohn, 
and  Schumann.  In  this  way  she  succeeded  in 
winning  great  success,  even  with  small,  short 
songs. 

Finally,  one  more  secret  for  performers,  which 
weighs  heavy  in  the  balance.  You  ought,  espe- 
cially if  you  have  not  received  good  early  instruc- 
tion, to  acquire  a  habit  of  moving  the  fingers  very 
frequently,  at  every  convenient  opportunity  ;  and 
particularly  of  letting  them  fall  loosely  and  lightly 


142  Pia?io  and  Song. 

upon  any  hard  object,  while  the  hand  Hes  upon 
something  firm,  in  an  extended  position. 

You  must  accustom  yourselves  to  do  this  uncon- 
sciously. For  example,  while  reading,  at  table,  or 
while  listening  to  music,  allow  your  hand  to  lie 
upon  the  table,  raise  the  fingers,  and  let  them  fall, 
one  at  a  time,  quite  independently  of  the  wrist  ; 
particularly  the  weak  fourth  and  fifth  fingers,  which 
require  to  be  used  a  hundred  times  more  than  the 
others,  if  you  wish  to  acquire  evenness  in  the  scales. 
If  it  attracts  attention  to  do  this  on  the  table,  then 
do  it  in  your  lap,  or  with  one  hand  over  the  other. 
To  drum  with  your  fingers  and  stretch  your  hands 
on  the  backs  of  other  people  is  not  often,  practica- 
ble, and  is  not  necessary.  That  was  only  pardoned 
in  the  zealous  and  original  Adolph  Henselt,  who, 
though  otherwise  such  a  modest  and  amiable  artist, 
even  now,  in  St.  Petersburg,  makes  himself  ridicu- 
lous in  this  way,  by  his  practice  of  finger  move- 
ments. 

Now  you  perceive  the  reason  why  I  cannot  answer 
the  question  which  has  been  asked  me  innumerable 
times.  How  much  do  your  daughters  practise  }  I 
cannot  count  up  the  finger  movements  and  the 
stray  ten  minutes  just  spoken  of;  but  it  is  certain 
that  they  practise  fewer  hours    in    the  day  than 


Secrets,  1 43 

many  thousands  who  learn  nothing,  for  they  never 
practise  and  never  have  practised  wrongly,  but 
always  correctly  and  advantageously. 

One  thing  more.  After  my  experienced,  watch- 
ful eye  had  observed  in  our  circle  many  moving 
fingers  in  consequence  of  my  lecture,  a  distin- 
guished lady  of  Vienna  whispered  in  my  ear: 
"  But,  my  dear  Herr  Wieck,  my  Amelia  is  not  to 
be  a  professional  player  :  I  only  want  her  to  learn 
a  few  of  the  less  difficult  sonatas  of  Beethoven,  to 
play  correctly  and  fluently,  without  notes."  My 
dear  ladies,  I  do  not  aim  with  you  at  any  thing 
more  than  this.  A  great  many  circumstances  must 
combine  for  the  formation  of  fine  concert  perform- 
ers ;  in  fact,  the  whole  education,  from  the  earliest 
youth,  must  have  reference  to  this  end.  If  this 
were  not  so,  Germany  especially,  on  account  of  its 
natural  musical  talent,  would  be  able  annually  to 
furnish  thousands  of  virtuoso  performers. 

Has  my  lecture  been  too  long  to-day }  I  ask 
your  pardon.  My  desire  to  make  myself  useful  to 
you  must  be  my  excuse,  if  I  cannot  dispose  of  such 
an  extensive  subject  in  a  few  words.  I  have  not 
yet  exhausted  it 


144  Piano  and  So7zg. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THOUGHTS   ON   PIANO-PLAYING. 

My  daughters  play  the  music  of  all  the  principal 
composers,  and  also  the  best  salon  music.  Limited 
views  of  any  kind  are  injurious  to  art.  It  is  as 
great  a  mistake  to  play  only  Beethoven's  music  as 
to  play  none  of  it,  or  to  play  either  classical  or  salon 
music  solely.  If  a  teacher  confines  himself  to  the 
study  of  the  first,,  a  good  technique,  a  tolerably 
sound  style  of  playing,  intelligence,  and  knowledge 
are  generally  sufficient  to  produce  an  interpretation 
in  most  respects  satisfactory.  The  music  usually 
compensates  for  a  style  which  may  be,  according 
to  circumstances,  either  dry,  cold,  too  monotonous 
or  too  strongly  shaded,  and  even  for  an  indifferent 
or  careless  touch.  Interest  in  the  composition  fre- 
quently diverts  the  attention  of  even  the  best  player 
from  a  thoroughly  correct  and  delicate  mode  of  exe- 
cution, and  from  the  effort  to  enhance  the  beauty 
of  the  composition,  and  to  increase  its  appreciation 
with  the  hearer.  In  the  performance  of  classical 
music,  inspiration  —  that  is,  the   revelation  of  an 


Thoughts  on  Piano-Playing.  145 

artistic  nature  and  not  empty  affectation  —  can 
be  expected  only  from  an  artist,  and  not  from  a 
pupil.  Therefore,  with  more  advanced  pupils,  I  take 
up  in  my  lessons,  in  connection  with  a  sonata  by 
Beethoven,  a  nocturne  or  waltz  by  Chopin,  and  a 
piece  by  St.  Heller  or  Schulhoff,  Henselt,  C.  Meyer, 
&c.  Elegance  and  polish,  a  certain  coquetry,  nicety, 
delicacy,  and  fine  shading  cannot  be  perfected  in 
the  study  of  a  sonata  by  Beethoven  ;  for  which, 
however,  the  latter  pieces  present  much  greater 
opportunities.  Besides  this,  variety  is  much  more 
sustaining  to  the  learner ;  it  excites  his  interest ; 
he  does  not  so  soon  become  weary,  and  is  guarded 
from  carelessness  ;  his  artistic  knowledge  is  in- 
creased, and  he  is  agreeably  surprised  to  find  him-  C 
self  able  to  perform  three  pieces  so  distinct  in 
character. 

"  Expression  cannot  be  taught,  it  must  come  of 
itself."  But  when  are  we  to  look  for  it }  When 
the  stiff  fingers  are  fifty  or  sixty  years  old,  and 
the  expression  is  imprisoned  in  them,  so  that  noth- 
ing is  ever  to  be  heard  of  it  ?  This  is  a  wide- 
spread delusion.  Let  us  look  at  a  few  of  those  to 
whom  expression  has  come  of  itself.  X.  plays 
skilfully  and  correctly,  but  his  expression  con- 
7  J 


146  Piano  and  Song. 

tinues  crude,  cold,  monotonous ;  he  shows  too 
pedantic  a  solicitude  about  mechanical  execution 
and  strict  time ;  he  never  ventures  on  a  //.,  uses 
too  little  shading  in  pia?zo,  and  plays  the  forte  too 
heavily,  and  without  regard  to  the  instrument ;  his 
crescendi  and  diminuendi  are  inappropriate,  often 
coarse  and  brought  in  at  unsuitable  places  ;  and  — 
his  ritardandi !  they  are  tedious  indeed!  "But 
Miss  Z.  plays  differently  and  more  finely."  Truly, 
she  plays  differently ;  but  is  it  more  finely  ?  Do 
you  like  this  gentle  violet  blue,  this  sickly  pale- 
ness, these  rouged  falsehoods,  at  the  expense  of 
all  integrity  of  character?  this  sweet,  embel- 
lished, languishing  style,  this  rubato  and  dis- 
membering of  the  musical  phrases,  this  want  of 
time,  and  this  sentimental  trash  ?  They  both  have 
talent,  but  their  expression  was  allowed  to  be 
developed  of  itself.  They  both  would  have  been 
very  good  players  ;  but  now  they  have  lost  all  taste 
for  the  ideal,  which  manifests  itself  in  the  domain 
of  truth,  beauty,  and  simplicity.  If  pupils  are  left 
to  themselves,  they  imitate  the  improper  and  erro- 
neous easily  and  skilfully ;  the  right  and  suitable 
with  difficulty,  and  certainly  unskilfully.  Even 
the  little  fellow  who  can  hardly  speak  learns  to 
use    naughty,   abusive   words   more    quickly   and 


Tlioughts  on  Pia7io-P laying,  147 

easily  than  fine,  noble  expressions.  What  school- 
master has  not  been  surprised  at  this  facility,  and 
what  good  old  aunt  has  not  laughed  at  it  ?  But 
you  say,  "It  is  not  right  to  force  the  feelings  of 
others ! "  That  is  quite  unnecessary ;  but  it  is 
possible  to  rouse  the  feelings  of  others,  to  guide 
and  educate  them,  without  prejudicing  their  indi- 
viduality of  feeling,  and  without  restraining  or  dis- 
turbing them,  unless  they  are  on  the  wrong  path. 
Who  has  not  listened  to  performers  and  singers 
who  were  otherwise  musical,  but  whose  sentiment 
was  either  ridiculous  or  lamentable  ? 

It  is  generally  acknowledged  that,  among  other 
things,  I  have  succeeded  more  or  less  with  all  my 
scholars  in  the  attainment  of  a  fine  touch.  People 
desire  to  obtain  from  me  the  requisite  exercises 
for  the  development  of  this  ;  but  not  much  can  be 
gained  from  these.  The  important  thing  is  how 
and  when  they  are  to  be  used  ;  and  that  most  care- 
ful attention  shall  be  paid  in  the  selection  of  other 
dtudes  and  pieces,  in  order  that  nothing  shall  be 
played  which  shall  endanger  the  confirmation  of 
the  correct  touch  already  acquired,  or  shall  undo 
what  has  been  accomplished  in  the  lessons.  As 
I  have  said  before,  it  does  not  depend  upon  much 


148  Piano  and  Song, 

practising,  but  upon  correct  practising ;  and  that 
the  pupils  shall  hot  be  allowed  to  fall  into  errors. 
I  am  constantly  asked,  "  How  many  hours  a  day  do 
your  daughters  practise  ? "  If  the  number  of  hours 
spent  in  practising  gives  the  measure  of  the  stand- 
ing of  a  virtuoso,  then  my  daughters  are  among  the 
most  insignificant,  or  in  fact  should  not  belong  to 
the  order  at  all. 

This  is  the  place  for  me  to  explain  myself  more 
fully  with  regard  to  playing  with  a  loose  wrist,  in 
order  that  I  shall  not  be  misunderstood.  The  tones 
which  are  produced  with  a  loose  wrist  are  always 
more  tender  and  more  attractive,  have  a  fuller 
sound,  and  permit  more  delicate  shading  than  the 
sharp  tones,  without  body,  which  are  thrown  or 
fired  off  or  tapped  out  with  unendurable  rigidity 
by  the  aid  of  the  arm  and  fore-arm.  A  superior 
technique  can  with  few  exceptions  be  more  quickly 
and  favorably  acquired  in  this  way  than  when  the 
elbows  are  required  to  contribute  their  power.  I 
do  not,  however,  censure  the  performance  of  many 
virtuosos,  who  execute  rapid  octave  passages  with  a 
stiff  wrist ;  they  often  do  it  with  great  precision,  in 
the  most  rapid  tempo,  forcibly  and  effectively.  It 
must,  after  all,  depend  upon  individual  peculiarities 
whether  the  pupil  can  learn  better  and  more  quickly 


Thoughts  on  Piano-Playing,  149 

to  play  such  passages  thus  or  with  a  loose  wrist. 
The  present  style  of  bravoura  playing  for  virtuosos 
cannot  dispense  with  facility  in  octave  passages ; 
it  is  a  necessary  part  of  it. 

I  will  now  consider  the  use  of  loose  and  inde- 
pendent fingers,  in  playing  generally ;  i,e.y  in  that 
of  more  advanced  pupils  who  have  already  acquired 
the  necessary  elementary  knowledge.  The  fingers 
must  be  set  upon  the  keys  with  a  certain  decision, 
firmness,  quickness,  and  vigor,  and  must  obtain  a 
command  over  the  key-board ;  otherwise,  the  result 
is  only  a  tame,  colorless,  uncertain,  immature 
style  of  playing,  in  which  no  fine  portamento^  no 
poignant  staccato^  or  sprightly  accentuation  can  be 
produced.  Every  thoughtful  teacher,  striving  for 
the  best  result,  must,  however,  take  care  that  this 
shall  only  be  acquired  gradually,  and  must  teach  it 
with  a  constant  regard  to  individual  peculiarities, 
and  not  at  the  expense  of  beauty  of  performance, 
and  of  a  tender,  agreeable  touch. 

It  is  a  mortifying  fact  for  many  critics,  artists, 
composers,  and  teachers,  that  the  general  public 
show  much  more  correct  judgment  and  appreciation 
of  a  fine,  noble  piano  performance,  and  of  a  simple, 
pure,  well-taught  style  of  singing,  and  also  under- 


150  Piano  and  Song. 

stand  the  characteristics  of  the  performer,  much 
more  quickly  than  they  do.  The  sensibility  and 
appreciation  of  beauty  with  the  public  is  less  prej- 
udiced, less  spurious,  more  receptive,  and  more 
artless.  Its  perceptions  are  not  disturbed  by  theo- 
ries, by  a  desire  to  criticise,  and  many  other  sec- 
ondary matters.  The  public  do  not  take  a  biassed 
or  stilted  view.  The  admiration  for  Jenny  Lind  is 
a  striking  proof  of  this,  as  is  also  the  appreciation 
of  many  piano-players. 

The  age  of  progress  announces,  in  piano-playing 
also,  "a  higher  beauty"  than  has  hitherto  existed. 
Now,  I  demand  of  all  the  defenders  of  this  new 
style,  wherein  is  this  superior  beauty  supposed  to 
consist  ?  It  is  useless  to  talk,  in  a  vague  way,  about 
a  beauty  which  no  one  can  explain.  I  have  listened 
to  the  playing  —  no,  the  thrumming  and  stamp- 
ing —  of  many  of  these  champions  of  the  moderii 
style  of  beauty ;  and  I  have  come  to  the  conclu 
sion,  according  to  my  way  of  reasoning,  that  ; 
ought  to  be  called  a  higher,  —  quite  different^  ii- 
verted  beauty,  —  a  deformed  beauty,  repugnant  to 
the  sensibilities  of  all  mankind.  But  our  gifted  "  age 
of  the  future  "  protests  against  such  cold  conserva- 
tism.    The  period  of  piano  fury  which  I  have  lived 


Thoughts  on  Piano-Playing.  151 

to  see,  and  which  I  have  just  described,  wa^i  the 
introduction  to  this  new  essay,  only  a  feeble  attempt, 
and  a  preliminary  to  this  piano  future.  Should  this 
senseless  raging  and  storming  upon  the  piano,  where 
not  one  idea  can  be  intelligently  expressed  in  a  half- 
hour,  this  abhorrent  and  rude  treatment  of  a  grand 
concert  piano,  combined  with  frightful  misuse  of 
both  pedals,  which  puts  the  hearer  into  agonies  of 
horror  and  spasms  of  terror,  ever  be  regarded  as 
any  thing  but  a  return  to  barbarism,  devoid  of 
feeling  and  reason  ?  This  is  to  be  called  music ! 
music  of  the  future !  the  beauty  of  the  future 
style  !  Truly,  for  this  style  of  music,  the  ears 
must  be  differently  constructed,  the  feelings  must 
be  differently  constituted,  and  a  different  nervous 
system  must  be  created  !  For  this  again  we  shall 
need  surgeons,  who  lie  in  wait  in  the  background 
with  the  throat  improvers.  What  a  new  and  grand 
field  of  operations  lies  open  to  them  !  Our  age 
produces  monsters,  who  are  insensible  to  the  plain- 
est truths,  and  who  fill  humanity  with  horror.  Polit- 
ical excesses  have  hardly  ceased,  v/hen  still  greater 
ones  must  be  repeated  in  the  world  of  music.  But 
comfort  yourselves,  my  readers  :  these  isolated  in- 
stances of  madness,  these  last  convulsions  of  musi- 
cal insanity,  with  however  much  arrogance  they 


152  Piano  and  Song, 

may  be  proclaimed,  will  not  take  the  world  by 
storm.  The  time  will  come  when  no  audience,  not 
even  eager  possessors  of  complimentary  tickets, 
but  only  a  few  needy  hirelings,  will  venture  to 
endure  such  concert  performances  of  *'  the  future." 

I  ought  to  express  myself  more  fully  with  regard 
to  expression  in  piano-playing.  It  is  difficult  to 
perform  this  task,  at  least  in  writing ;  for  it  can 
more  easily  be  practically  explained  to  individual 
learners.  Intelligent  teachers,  who  are  inchned  to 
understand  my  meaning,  will  find  abundant  mate- 
rial, as  well  as  all  necessary  explanations,  in  the 
preceding  chapters  ;  and  I  will  merely  say  that  a 
teacher  who  is  endowed  with  the  qualities  which  I 
have  designated  as  "  the  three  trifles  "  will  seek  to 
excite  the  same  in  his  pupils  ;  will  refine  and  culti- 
vate them,  according  to  his  ability,  with  disinter- 
estedness, with  energy,  and  with  perseverance ;  and 
truth  and  beauty  v/ill  everywhere  be  the  result. 
Thus  he  will  remain  in  the  present,  where  there  is 
so  much  remaining  to  be  accomplished.  These 
three  trifles  certainly  do  not  have  their  root  in 
folly,  want  of  talent,  and  hare-brained  madness  ; 
therefore  the  possessors  of  the  latter  must  look  to 
I  he  "future,"  and  proclaim  a  "higher,"  that  is,  an 
"  inverted  beauty." 


Thoughts  on  Piano-Playing.  153 

Rules  for  Piano  Pupils. 

You  must  never  begin  to  learn  a  second  piece 
until  you  have  entirely  conquered  the  first. 

You  ought  to  fix  your  eyes  very  carefully  on  the 
notes,  and  not  to  trust  to  memory  ;  otherwise,  you 
will  never  learn  to  play  at  sight. 

In  order  to  avoid  the  habit  of  false  fingering,  you 
should  not  play  any  piece  which  is  not  marked  for 
the  proper  fingers. 

You  should  learn  to  play  chords  and  skipping 
notes,  without  looking  at  the  keys,  as  this  inter- 
feres with  a  prompt  reading  of  the  notes. 

You  must  learn  to  count  nicely  in  playing,  in 
order  always  «to  keep  strict  time. 

To  use  for  once  the  language  of  the  times,  which 
boldly  proclaims,  "  Such  things  as  these  belong  to 
a  stand-point  which  we  have  already  reached,"  I 
wish  that  the  musicians  of  "  the  future "  may  as 
happily  reach  their  "stand-point,"  not  by  hollow 
phrases  and  flourishes,  and  the  threshing  of  empty 
straws,  but  by  practical,  successful  efforts,  and  striv- 
ing for  that  which  is  better. 

"  What  is  the  value  of  your  method,  in  the  in- 
struction  of    pupils   who    have   for  years   played 
7* 


154  Piano  and  Song, 

many  pieces  from  notes,  but  have  played  them 
badly,  and  whom  we  are  called  upon  to  lead  into  a 
better  way  of  playing  ?  " 

A  reply  to  this  frequent  inquiry  can  be  found  in 
my  first  chapter.  Above  all  things,  let  the  notes 
which  have  already  been  played  be  laid  aside  for  a 
long  time  ;  for  a  mistaken  style  of  playing  these 
has  become  so  confirmed  that  to  improve  them  is 
hopeless,  and  the  tottering  edifice  must  fall  to  the 
ground.  First,  improve  the  touch  ;  help  to  acquire 
a  better  and  more  connected  scale  ;  teach  the  forma- 
tion of  different  cadences  on  the  dominant  and  sub- 
dominant  ;  and  the  construction  of  various  passages 
on  the  chord  of  the  diminished  seventh,  to  be  played 
with  correct,  even,  and  quiet  fingerfhg,  legato  and 
staccato,  piano,  2in<\  forte ;  pay  strict  attention  to  the 
use  of  loose  fingers  and  a  loose  wrist ;  and  allow  no 
inattentive  playing.  You  may  soon  take  up,  with 
these  studies,  some  entirely  unfamiliar  piece  of 
music,  suited  to  the  capacity  of  the  pupil.  It  is 
not  possible  or  desirable  to  attempt  to  make  a  sud- 
den and  thorough  change  with  such  pupils,  even  if 
they  should  show  the  best  intentions  and  docility. 
You  should  select  a  light,  easy  piece  of  salon  music, 
but  of  a  nature  well  adapted  to  the  piano,  which 
shall  not  be  wearisome  to  the  pupil,  and  in  the  im- 


Thoughts  on  Piano-Playing.  155 

proved  performance  of  which  he  will  take  pleasure. 
But,  if  you  still  find  that  he  falls  into  the  old,  faulty 
manner  of  playing,  and  that  the  recently  acquired 
technique,  which  has  not  yet  become  habitual,  is 
endangered  by  it,  lay  this  too  aside,  and  take 
instead  some  appropriate  ^tude,  or  perhaps  a  little 
prelude  by  Bach.  If,  in  the  place  of  these,  you 
choose  for  instruction  a  ponderous  sonata,  in  which 
the  music  would  distract  the  attention  of  the  pupil 
from  the  improved  technique,  you  give  up  the  most 
important  aim  of  your  instruction,  and  occupy 
yourself  v/ith  secondary  matters  ;  you  will  censure 
and  instruct  in  vain,  and  will  never  attain  success. 
You  must  consider,  reflect,  and  give  your  mind  to 
the  peculiar  needs  of  the  pupil,  and  you  must  teach 
in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  psychology.  You 
will  succeed  after  a  while,  but  precipitation,  com- 
pulsion, and  disputes  are  useless.  The  improve- 
ment of  a  soprano  voice,  ruined  by  over-screaming, 
requires  prudence,  patience,  calmness,  and  mod- 
esty, and  a  character  of  a  high  type  generally.  It 
is  also  a  very  thankless  task,  and  success  is  rare ; 
while  on  the  piano  a  fair  result  may  always  be 
accomplished. 

I  return  once  more  to  the  subject  so  frequently 


156  Piano  and  Song, 

discussed,  that  I  may  try  to  relieve  the  universal 
difficulty  of  our  lady  pianists.  I  have  heard  much 
playing  of  late,  in  parties  both  small  and  large,  on 
well-tuned  and  on  ill-tuned  pianos,  on  those  with 
which  the  performer  was  familiar,  and  on  those  to 
which  she  was  unaccustomed  ;  from  the  timid  and 
the  self-possessed ;  from  ladies  of  various  ages, 
possessed  of  more  or  of  less  talent,  and  in  various 
cities  :  the  result  was  always  the  same. 

We  hear  from  the  ladies  that  they  could  play 
their  pieces  at  home  before  their  parents  or  their 
teachers ;  but  this  is  never  sufficient  to  enable 
them  to  save  their  hearers  from  weariness,  anxiety, 
and  all  sorts  of  embarrassment.  My  honored 
ladies,  you  play  over  and  over  again  two  mazourkas, 
two  waltzes,  two  nocturnes,  and  the  Funeral  March 
of  Chopin,  the  Mazourka  and  other  pieces  by 
Schulhoff,  the  Trill-Etude,  and  the  Tremolo  by 
Carl  Meyer,  &c. :  "  it  makes  no  difference  to  you 
which."  You  might  be  able  to  master  these  pieces 
pretty  well,  but,  instead  of  this,  you  yourselves  are 
mastered.  You  become  embarrassed,  and  your 
hearers  still  more  so  :  the  affair  ends  with  apologies 
on  both  sides,  with  equivocal  compliments,  with 
encouragement  to  continue  in  the  same  course, 
with  acknowledgment  of  fine  hands  for  the  piano. 


Thoughts  on  Piano-Playing.  157 

with  uneasy,  forced  congratulations  to  the  parents 
and  teacher;  but  it  is  always  a  happy  moment 
when  the  fatal  soiree  is  over.  The  next  day  I  am 
forced  to  sigh  again  over  the  same,  miserable, 
poorly  and  tediously  performed  Funeral  March  of 
Chopin,  and  over  the  timorous  B  major  Mazourka 
by  Schulhoff.  The  left  hand  is  always  left  in  the 
lurch  in  the  difficult,  skipping  basses  of  this  piece, 
and  in  others  of  the  present  style,  which  are  rich  in 
harmony  and  modulations.  The  bass  part  in  this 
piece  is  apt  to  suffer  from  timid  and  false  tones  ; 
frequently  the  fundamental  tone  is  omitted,  or  the 
little  finger  remains  resting  upon  it,  instead  of 
giving  the  eighth  note  with  a  crisp,  elastic,  and 
sprightly  touch,  and  the  chords  are  tame  and  incom- 
plete. You  do  not  give  them  their  full  value  ;  you 
leave  them  too  quickly,  because  you  are  afraid  of 
not  striking  the  next  low  note  quickly  enough  ; 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  you  do  not  strike  it  at 
all,  and  one  missing  tone  brings  another  one 
after  it.  The  right  hand,  being  the  most  skilful, 
is  supposed  to  play  with  expression,  and  really  does 
so;  but  this  only  makes  the  performance  the  worse. 
The  fundamental  tone  is  wanting,  and  you  are  led 
to  make  a  mistake  in  the  skip,  and  strike  the  wrong 
key.     Finally,  the  whole  thing  is  ended  in  terror. 


158  Piano  and  Song, 

I  have  an  uneasy  night ;  I  dream  of  your  fine 
hands,  but  the  false  and  the  weak  notes  start  up 
between  like  strange  spectres  or  will  o'  the  wisps, 
and  I  wake  with  the  headache,  instead  of  with 
pleasant  memories. 

Allow  me  to  give  you  a  piece  of  advice.  Play 
and  practise  the  bass  part  a  great  deal  and  very 
often,  first  slowly,  then  quicker,  during  one  or  two 
weeks,  before  playing  the  right  hand  with  it,  in 
order  that  you  may  give  your  whole  attention  to 
playing  the  bass  correctly,  delicately,  and  surely. 
Even  when  you  can  get  through  the  mazourka 
tolerably  well,  you  must  not  think,  on  that  ac- 
count, that  you  will  be  able  to  play  it  in  company, 
under  trying  circumstances.  You  ought  to  be 
able  to  play  the  piece  by  yourself  with  ease,  very 
frequently,  perfectly,  and  distinctly,  and  in  very 
rapid  tempo,  before  you  trust  yourself  to  perform 
it  even  slowly  in  company.  At  least,  practise  the 
more  difficult  passages  for  the  right  hand  very 
frequently,  particularly  the  difficult  and  bold  con- 
clusion, that  it  may  not  strike  the  hearer  as  rough, 
weak,  tame,  or  hurried.  It  is  an  old  rule,  "  If  you 
begin  well  and  end  well,  all  is  well."  You  ought 
to  practise  the  skipping  bass  over  and  over  again 
by  itself,  otherwise  it  will  not  go.     An  incorrect 


Thoughts  on  Piano-Playing.  159 

or  deficient  bass,  without  depth  of  tone  and  with- 
out accentuation,  ruins  every  thing,  even  the  good 
temper  of  the  hearer.  One  thing  more  :  you  know 
very  well  Chopin's  Nocturne  in  E  flat,  and  have 
played  it,  among  other  things,  for  the  last  four 
weeks.  Suddenly  you  are  called  upon  to  play  in 
company.  You  choose  this  Nocturne  because  you 
have  played  it  nearly  every  day  for  four  weeks. 
But  alas !  the  piano  fiends  have  come  to  confuse 
you  !  You  strike  a  false  bass  note,  and  at  the  ir>od- 
ulation  the  weak  little  finger  touches  too  feebly : 
bah!  the  fundamental  tone  is  wanting.  You  are 
frightened,  and  grow  still  more  so ;  your  musical 
aunt  is  frightened  also  ;  the  blood  rushes  to  your 
teachers  face,  and  I  mutter  to  myself,  "  (7  Vj/ /^?/- 
jours  la  mimer  The  present  style  of  skipping 
basses  requires  a  great  deal  of  practice  and  perfect 
security ;  it  is  necessary  for  you  to  know  the  piece 
by  heart,  in  order  to  give  your  whole  attention  to 
the  left  hand.  It  is  also  essential  that  you  shall 
have  acquired  a  clear,  sound  touch  ;  otherwise,  you 
cannot  give  a  delicate  accent  and  shading.  You 
must  never  allow  yourself,  without  previous  prepa- 
rationy  to  play  those  pieces  of  music  in  company, 
in  which  an  elegant  mode  of  execution  is  all-im- 
portant ;  otherwise,  you  will  be  taken  by  surprise 


l6o  Piano  ana  Song. 

by  unexpected  difficulties.  You  must  always  pay 
special  attention  to  the  fundamental  tones,  even  if 
there  should  be  imperfections  elsewhere.  Where 
one  fault  is  less  important  than  another,  of  two 
evils  choose  the  least.  You  have  been  playing 
now  for  six  or  eight  years  :  are  you  repaid  for  the 
trouble,  if  it  only  enables  you  to  prepare  embarrass- 
ments for  others }  You  are  not  willing  to  play 
easy,  insignificant  pieces  ;  and  such  pieces  as  you 
choose  require  industry,  earnestness,  and  per- 
severance. 

Young  ladies,  it  is  easy  to  discover  the  char- 
acter of  a  person  from  his  manner  of  standing, 
walking,  moving,  and  speaking,  from  the  way  he 
bows,  puts  on  and  takes  off  his  hat,  or  the  arrange- 
ments of  the  household ;  and  we  seldom  are  in 
error  about  it.  It  is  also  possible  to  infer  before- 
hand how  you  will  play  and  what  sort  of  a  perform- 
ance you  will  give,  from  the  manner  in  which  you 
take  your  seat  at  the  piano.  You  sidle  up  to  the 
piano  lazily,  bent  over  in  a  constrained  manner ;  in 
your  embarrassment,  you  place  yourself  before  the 
one-lined  or  two-lined  r,  instead  of  before/*;  you 
sit  unsteadily,  either  too  high  or  too  low,  only  half 
on  the  seat,  leaning  either  too  much  to  the  right 


Thoughts  on  Piano-Playing.  i6i 

or  to  the  left ;  in  a  word,  as  if  you  did  not  belong 
to  the  fatal  music-stool.  Your  manner  awakens 
no  confidence,  and  in  this  way  announces  that  you 
have  none  yourself.  How  do  you  expect  to  exer- 
cise control  over  a  grand  seven  octave  piano,  if  you 
do  not  sit  exactly  in  the  middle,  with  the  body 
erect  and  the  feet  on  the  two  pedals  ?  You  are 
not  willing  to  look  the  friend  straight  in  the  face, 
with  whom  yt)U  are  to  carry  on  a  friendly,  confi- 
dential discourse  !  Even  if  your  attitude  and  bear- 
ing were  not  so  injurious  and  dangerous  for  the 
performer  as  it  is,  still  propriety  and  good  sense 
would  require  that  you  should  excite  the  confidence 
of  your  hearers  in  you  and  in  your  playing  by  a 
correct  position  of  the  body,  and  by  a  certain  de- 
cision and  resolution,  and  should  prepare  him  to 
form  a  good  opinion  of  you. 

There  are.  indeed,  many  virtuosos  who  think 
they  give  evidence  of  genius,  by  throwing  them- 
selves on  to  the  music-stool  in  a  slovenly,  lounging 
manner,  and  try  to  show  in  this  way  their  superi- 
ority to  a  painstaking  performance,  and  to  make 
up  by  a  showy  nonchalance  for  what  is  wanting 
in  their  playing.  You  are,  however,  a  stranger  to 
such  assertion  of  superior  genius,  and  to  such  an 
expression  of  intensity  of  feeling ;   you  do  it  only 


l62  Piano  and  Song. 

from  embarrassment,  and  from  a  modest  want  of 
confidence  in  your  own  powers,  which  is  quite 
unnecessary.  Our  great  masters,  such  as  Field, 
Hummel,  Moscheles,  Mendelssohn,  and  others,  had 
no  taste  for  such  improprieties,  for  such  manifes- 
tations of  genius.  They  applied  themselves  to 
their  task  with  earnest  devotion,  and  with  respect 
for  the  public. 


On  Miisical  Talent.  163 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

ON    MUSICAL    TALENT. 

A  LARGE  and  varied  experience  is  required  foi 
a  correct  estimate  of  musical  talent  in  the  young. 
Do  not  be  deceived  by  the  early  evidences  of  talent; 
for  instance,  interest  in  melodies,  correct  feeling 
for  time,  an  instinct  for  accenting  the  important 
notes,  inclination  for  some  peculiar  though  often 
perverted  style  of  performance,  quick  apprehen- 
sion, a  natural  aptitude  for  playing,  a  nice  hear- 
ing, animation,  rapid  progress,  docility,  superficial 
gayety ;  even  if  all  or  a  part  of  these  traits  are 
observable  in  early  youth,  they  must  not  excite  too 
sanguine  hopes.  I  have  often  met  with  such  phe- 
nomena, and  have  been  called  upon  to  educate 
such  little  piano  prodigies.  They  advanced  quite 
rapidly,  and  understood  every  thing  readily,  if  I 
did  not  make  too  much  demand  upon  their  waver- 
ing attention.  I  dreamed  of  the  extraordinary 
surprises  that  these  marvellous  youths  would  create 
at  twelve  or  fourteen  years  of  age  ;  but  the  fulfil- 
ment of  my  ideal  I  saw  only  in  my  mind's  eye, 


164  Piano  and  Song. 

for  just  then  the  improvement  came  to  &.  sudden 
stand-still,  —  a  fatal  moment,  when  the  teacher  is 
perplexed  to  know  what  to  do  next.  The  musical 
nature  seemed  to  have  exhausted  itself,  to  have 
out-lived  itself.  The  pupil  even  felt  this :  his 
interest  in  the  piano  and  in  music  generally  grew 
feeble,  his  playing  suddenly  became  careless,  power- 
less, spiritless  ;  he  played  with  evident  indifference. 
Out  into  the  fresh  air !  into  open  natural  scenes  ! 
Now  for  a  journey  !  I  allowed  a  long  vacation  to 
intervene  ;  the  pupil  was  quite  contented,  and  had 
no  desire  for  the  piano,  or,  if  so,  only  jingled  a 
little.  At  last  we  began  again,  but  we  spent  our 
time  without  much  result  ;  he  was  nevertheless 
still  musical,  but  he  finally  ranked  at  best  with 
dozens  of  other  players,  and  ended  as  an  ordinary 
piano  teacher.  Similar  halts  in  progress  occur  in 
fact  with  all  pupils,  especially  with  female  schol- 
ars ;  but  they  are  not  usually  so  lasting,  so  dis 
couraging,  or  so  significant  of  exhaustion.  They 
are  surmounted,  after  a  short  interval,  by  the  dis- 
continuance of  serious  musical  studies  ;  perhaps  by 
reading  at  sight  for  a  while ;  by  occupying  the 
pupil  for  a  time  with  the  theory,  or  with  attempts 
at  composition  or  improvisation  ;  by  allowing  him 
to  listen  to  other  players  better  or  worse  ;  by  giv- 


On  Musical  Talent.    '  165 

ing  him  interesting  books  to  read ;  by  making  him 
acquainted  with  Beethoven,  or  in  other  ways. 

From  our  observation  of  such  sudden  changes, 
and  of  the  frequent  occurrence  of  unskilful  man- 
agement, we  can  explain  the  sudden  appearance 
and  equally  sudden  disappearance  of  innumerable 
infant  prodigies  in  our  age,  who  have  excited  hopes, 
and  have  almost  all  of  them  been  lost,  or  have 
passed  out  of  sight,  and  resulted  in  nothing  of 
value. 

I  have  always  preferred  a  gradual,  even  a  slow 
development,  step  by  step,  which  often  made  no 
apparent  progress,  but  which  still  proceeded  with  a 
certain  constancy,  and  with  deliberation,  and  which 
was  combined  with  dreamy  sensibiHty  and  a  mu- 
sical instinct,  requiring  slow  awakening,  and  even 
with  a  certain  flightiness,  one  for  which  the  patient 
labor  and  perseverance  of  six  years  or  more  was 
required,  and  where  childishness  allowed  no  en- 
couragement to  sordid  speculations  for  the  future. 
In  such  cases,  when  my  instructions  were  not 
disturbed  by  untoward  circumstances,  the  result 
has  always  been  a  desirable  one.  But  how  much 
patience  and  perseverance  has  this  required  !  I  have 
reflected  much  and  have  often  spoken,  both  seri- 
ously and  playfully,  of  the  slow  advancement  of 


l66  '      Piano  and  Sin^. 

my  pupils.  Allow  me  here  to  describe  five  phases 
or  stages  of  human  development. 

First  Stage.  In  the  first  two  or  three  years, 
man  is  far  behind  the  animal,  whose  quick  instinct 
distinguishes  the  good  from  the  bad,  the  useful 
from  the  injurious.  The  child,  without  hesitation, 
rolls  off  the  table,  or  knocks  his  brains  out,  or 
destroys  himself  with  poisonous  herbs  or  arsenic. 
Nevertheless,  let  him  at  that  age  hear  plenty  of 
pure  sounds,  music,  singing,  &c.  He  will  soon 
learn  to  listen,  like  the  little  black  poodle.  He 
already  has  a  dim  suspicion  that  other  things 
exist  which  are  not  evil,  besides  mamma,  papa, 
ihe  nurse,  the  doll,  and  the  sound  of  words. 

Second  Stage.  From  the  fourth  to  the  seventh 
year,  instinct  is  developed  ;  which,  in  the  animal, 
surprises  the  observer  in  the  first  two  weeks  of 
life.  Now  we  should  begin  with  the  technique, 
at  least  with  the  correct  movement  of  the  fingers 
upon  the  table.  The  child  should  be  told  that  he 
shall  soon  produce  the  pleasant  tones,  which  he 
has  been  accustomed  to  hear  from  infancy  ;  but 
that  for  this  a  quick  and  quiet  movement  of  the 
fingers  is  necessary,  which  must  be  acquired  by 
daily  practice.  This  is  entirely  in  accordance  with 
nature,  for  man  is  appointed   to  learn.     Let  the 


On  Musical  Talent,  167 

cbilci  lay  his  hand  upon  the  ^"able,  and  knock  upon 
it  with  the  first  finger  (i.e.,  the  thumb)  stretched 
out,  without  using  the  muscles  of  the  arm,  then 
with  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  fingers,  in  an 
almost  perpendicular  position,  and  with  the  fifth 
finger  extended.  Then  let  him  strike  a  third  with 
the  first  and  third  fingers  together ;  a  fourth,  with 
the  first  and  fourth  fingers  ;  first  with  the  right 
hand,  then  with  the  left  hand,  and  afterwards  with 
both  together,  &c. 

Third  Stage.  From  the  seventh  to  the  twelfth 
year.  At  this  stage  unrulinesS  makes  its  appear- 
ance, and  at  the  same  time  ^- fhe  notes;  but  not 
Beethoven.  That  would  indeed  be  an  unfortunate 
musical  indulgence.  Violent  outbreaks  of  untamed 
strength ;  unexpected  freaks  ;  alternations  of  rude 
instinct  and  quick  intelligence,  of  lofty  fancy  and 
artless  simplicity  ;  disobedience  ;  much  appetite, 
&c.,  —  all  these  must  be  shaped,  and  made  sub- 
servient to  the  object  we  have  in  view.  Do  you 
understand  me,  gentlemen  ? 

Fourth  Stage.  Excellent  parents,  who  desire  to 
see  the  ripe  fruits  of  your  care  and  labor,  have 
patience !  First  there  comes  the  foreshadowing 
of  manhood. — a  very  interesting  period.  The 
youth   steps   out  ol    the   animal  into  the  human 


1 68  Piano  and  Song. 

king-dom.  and  often  is  unable  to  forget  his  earlier 
condition,  but  revels  in  sweet  remembrance  of  it. 
Try  now,  gently  and  timidly,  Beethoven,  Chopin, 
Schumann,  and  the  like.  This  extraordinary  being, 
"one-fourth  animal  and  three-fourths  human,"  re- 
quires to  be  awakened,  excited,  and  to  have  the 
imagination  aroused  ;  and,  above  all,  requires  the 
most  careful  guidance.  It  is  necessary  to  stir  and 
agitate  the  nature,  in  order  that  reflection,  con 
science,  the  sensibilities  of  the  soul,  feeling,  crea- 
tive power,  and  all  inward  conditions  shall  be 
developed ;  and  that  out  of  this  chaos  shall  be 
brought  a  clear  and  beautiful  order. 

Fifth  Stage,  The  adult  man  in  his  eighteenth 
year.  The  year,  however,  varies  with  individuals, 
and  can  be  modified  at  will.  If  I  should  enter 
into  details  of  the  four  earlier  stages  of  humanity, 
and  treat  in  addition  of  the  adult  man,  I  should  be 
obliged  to  write  a  philosophical  work  on  the  sub- 
ject, and  that  might  not  be  entertaining.  I  should 
be  obliged  to  beg  your  indulgence  for  a  tedious 
book,  and  my  daughters  certainly  would  not  thank 
me  for  it ;  they  are  very  sensitive.  But  I  must, 
nevertheless,  secretly  whisper  in  your  ear  that 
"  my  daughters,  like  the  daughters  of  many  others, 
have  been  carried  through  these  five  stages  in  the 


Cautions.  169 

most  careful  and  thorough  manner."  I  ought  to 
know  that  best.  Here  you  have  the  answer  to 
many  strange  questions. 

Cautions^ 

I  warn  pianists,  and  others  also,  in  playing: 
I.  Against  any  showy  and  unsuitable  display. 
Why  should  you  wish  to  attract  attention,  and 
to  create  an  effect  by  foppishness  and  all  sorts 
of  grimaces,  or  by  curious  and  marvellous  exhibi- 
tions of  virtuoso-^\iv^  ?  You  have  only  to  play 
musically  and  beautifully,  and  to  deport  yourselves 
with  modesty  and  propriety.  Direct  your  whole  at- 
tention to  the  business  in  hand,  —  that  is,  to  your 
performance ;  and  endeavor  to  secure  for  it  the 
interest  of  the  public,  who  are  so  easily  rendered 
inattentive.  We  want  no  more  public  perform- 
ances from  eccentric  geniuses. 

2.  Do  not  devote  yourself  exclusively  to  pieces 
calculated  to  show  the  skill  of  the  performer.  Why 
desire  always  to  show  off  your  power  in  octave 
passages,  your  trills,  your  facility  in  skips,  your 
unprecedented  stretches,  or  other  fantastic  feats } 
You  only  produce  weariness,  satiety,  and  disgust, 
or,  at  least,  you  make  yourselves  ridiculous. 

3.  Play  good  music  in  a  musical  and  rational 

8 


I/O  Piano  a?id  Song, 

manner.  The  public  are  tired  of  heanng  Pot- 
pourris, made  up  of  odds  and  ends,  tedious  Etudes, 
Rhapsodies,  Fantasias  without  fancy,  dismal  mo- 
notonies and  endless,  cheap,  silly  cadences  that 
mean  nothing.  Learn  to  understand  the  age,  and 
the  world  in  which  you  live. 

4.  Do  not  make  yourselves  ridiculous  by  new 
inventions  in  piano-playing.  I  mention,  for  ex- 
ample, one  of  the  most  foolish  affectations  of 
modern  times.  You  try  to  quiver  on  a  note,  just 
as  violin  and  'cello  players  are  unfortunately  too 
much  inclined  to  do.  Do  not  expose  yourselves 
to  the  derision  of  every  apprentice  in  piano  manu- 
facture. Have  you  no  understanding  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  piano  ?  You  have  played  upon  it,  or 
have,  some  of  you,  stormed  upon  it,  for  the  last  ten 
years  ;  and  yet  you  have  not  taken  pains  to  obtain 
even  a  superficial  acquaintance  with  its  mechanism. 
The  hammer,  which  by  its  stroke  upon  the  string 
has  produced  the  sound,  falls  immediately  when 
the  tone  resounds  ;  and  after  that  you  may  caress 
the  key  which  has  set  the  hammer  in  motion,  fidget 
round  on  it  as  much  as  you  please,  and  stagger  up 
and  down  over  it,  in  your  intoxicated  passion, — 
no  more  sound  is  to  be  brought  out  from  it,  with 
all  your  trembling  and  quivering.     It  is  only  the 


Cautions,  171 

public  who  are  quivering  with  laughter  at  youi 
absurdity. 

5.  Give  up  the  practice  of  extreme  stretches. 
Widely  dispersed  harmonies  may  sometimes  pro- 
duce a  good  effect,  but  not  by  too  frequent  and 
too  eager  an  employment  of  them  at  every  oppor- 
tunity. Even  the  greatest  beauties  in  art  can  lead 
to  mannerism,  and  this  again  to  one-sidedness. 
Art  should  be  many-sided,  and  you  must  never 
produce  the  impression  that  you  are  inclined  to 
make  the  means  an  end.  I  beg  you  to  reflect 
that  too  much  practice  of  very  wide  stretches 
enfeebles  the  muscles  and  the  power  of  the  hand 
and  fingers,  endangers  an  even,  sound  touch,  and 
makes  the  best  style  of  playing  a  doubtful  acqui- 
sition. Teachers  ought  therefore  to  use  great 
prudence,  and  only  gradually  to  permit  their  pupils, 
especially  young  girls,  to  practise  great  extensions 
and  wide  stretches.  To  learn  to  be  able  to  strike 
ten  notes  is  quite  enough. 

6.  Before  you  perform  a  piece,  play  a  few  suit- 
able chords,  and  a  few  appropriate  passages  or 
scales  up  and  down  (but  play  no  stupid  trash, 
such  as  I  have  heard  from  many  virtuosos),  in  order 
to  try  whether  the  condition  of  the  instrument 
presents  any  unexpected  difficulties.     Try  carefully 


172  Piano  and  Song* 

also  the  unavoidable  pedal.  A  creaking,  rattling, 
grating  pedal  is  a  frightful  annoyance ;  I  wonder 
if  the  piano  of  "  the  future  "  is  to  suffer  from  this 
also.  Chopin's  Funeral  March,  with  obligato  ac- 
companiment of  a  squeaking  pedal  sentiment,  even 
although  the  omissions  and  mistakes  in  the  bass 
do  not  occur,  —  alas  !  who  can  describe  the  effect 
of  this  melancholy  march  ? 

7.  I  have  written  a  special  article  on  the  manner 
of  sitting  at  the  piano,  and  I  will  refer  you  once 
more  to  that. 

8.  Use  no  mechanical  aids  in  practising,  not  even 
the  dumb  key-board  ;  although,  with  very  careful 
use,  that  is  not  without  value.  Strength  will  come 
with  time  ;  do  not  try  to  hurry  nature.  The  table 
is  the  best  "dumb  key-board,"  as  I  have  already 
explained.  The  "  hand-guide  "  is  also  unnecessary  : 
its  value  is  compensated  by  its  disadvantages. 

9.  Do  not  let  your  hearers  crowd  too  near  while 
you  are  playing.  Do  not  play  the  same  piece 
da  capo.  You  may  be  justified  in  breaking  off  in 
the  midst  of  a  piece,  if  there  is  loud  and  continuous 
talking,  &c. 

I  hope  you  will  give  me  the  honor  of  your  com- 
pany again  at  my  soirees  :  I  am  no  writer  of  come- 
dies, but  I  can  tell  you  a  great  deal  that  is  interesting 
and  amusing  which  I  have  myself  experienced. 


Extravagances  in  Singing,  ^c,  173 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

EXTRAVAGANCES    IN    SINGING  AND    PIANO - 
PLAYING. 

(/4«  Evening  Party  at  Mr.  Gold^s.) 

DRAMATIS    PERSONS. 

Mr.  Gold,  the  banker  {fond  of  music). 

Mrs.  Gold  {sings,  and  is  an  invalid). 

Mr.  Silver,  bookkeeper  {formerly  a  singer  with  Strauss). 

Mr.  Pious,  a  friend  of  the  family  (a  musical  impostor,  and 

a  hypocrite  generally). 
Mr.  Forte,  a  foreign  piano  virtuoso  {of  weak  nerves). 
Dominie,  a  piano-teacher. 
Emma,  his  daughter. 

(Mrs.  Gold  has  just  been  singing  in  the  modern 
Italian  manner;  suddenly  alternating  exagger- 
ated high  and  low  tones,  given  in  a  jerking  man- 
ner, with  inaudible  pianissimo  in  the  throat, 
and  quavering  on  every  note,  with  many  orna- 
mentSy  and  ahvays  a  quarter  of  a  tone  too  flat. 
She  sang  all  the  four  verses  of  ^^  Fondly  1 
Think  of  Thee,'*  by  Krebs.) 

Dominie.  Will  you  not  go  on,  Mrs.  Gold  1  The 
piano  is  a  little  too  high,  and  you  are  obliged  to 
accustom  yourself  a  little  to  it. 


174  Piano  and  Song. 

Mrs.  Gold.  I  cannot  sing  any  more.  That 
beautiful  song  has  taken  such  hold  of  me,  and  I 
feel  so  badly.  (  Whispers  to  Dominie)  Mr.  Forte 
did  not  accompany  me  well,  either :  sometimes  he 
did  not  come  in  right,  and  played  too  feebly ;  and 
sometimes  he  improvised  too  much  in  playing,  and 
overpowered  my  voice,  which  is  a  little  weak  just 
now. 

Dominie  (aside  to  Emma).  What  an  evening  of 
singing !    Oh  dear ! 

Mr.  Gold  {who  has  been  earnestly  talking  about 
stocks  all  the  evening  in  an  adjoining  roomy  rushes 
iny  but  rather  late^  after  the  close  of  the  song,  and 
impetuously  presses  his  wifes  hand).  Marvellous  ! 
magnificent !  delicious  !  wonderful !  My  dear,  you 
are  in  excellent  voice  this  evening.  If  Jenny  Lind 
could  only  have  heard  you  ! 

Mr.  Pious.  Charming !  superb !  how  touch- 
ing !  There  is  a  religious  character  in  this  piece, 
something  holy  about  it !  I  beg  of  you,  do  sing 
that  air  by  Voss,  "True  Happiness."  That  will 
make  our  enjoyment  complete ;  it  is  truly  ravish- 
ing! There  is  something  divine  in  singing,  and 
your  expression,  your  feeling,  Madam  !  You  give 
yourself  up  so  entirely  to  the  composition ! 


Extravagances  in  Singiiig,  &c.  175 

{Mrs.    Gold  has  already  takett  up   "  True  Hap- 
piness" and  can  hardly  wait  while  Mr.    Forte 
murmurs  off  tJie  introductio7i,  quite  after   his 
own  fancy,   with   a  sentimental  piano.      Mr. 
Pious  drops  a  tear  at  the  close  of  the  introduc- 
tion, the  four  bars  of  which  have  been  trans- 
formed into  eight  bars  by  the  great  virtuoso. 
During  the  tremulous,  affected  p erf ormajice  of 
"  True  Happiness','   Mr.    Pious    rolls   up    his 
moistened  eyes;  and,  at  the  end  of  the  first  verse, 
where   the    accompanist    once  more  gives   the 
reins  to  his  fancy,  he  says,  "  /  am,  speechless^  I 
cannot  fi7id  words  to  express  my  emotion^) 
Dominie  {aside  to  Emma).     That  you  may  call 
forged  sentiment,  the  counterfeit  of  feeling.     You 
hear   now   how  one   ought  not  to   sing.     For  an 
earnest,  true  musician,  such  a  warmth  in  singing  is 
only  empty  affectation,  disgusting,  sentimental  rub- 
bish, and  hollow  dissimulation.     You  will,  however, 
frequently  meet  with  such  amateur  infelicities. 
{Mrs.   Gold  has  fi7iished  singing  all  the  verses 
of "  True  Happiness^'  and  seems  noiu  to  have 
almost  ejitirely  recovered.     Mr.  Gold  conti7iues 
to  converse  about  stocks  in  the  adjoini?ig  room. 
Dominie  remains  with  Emma  at  the  end  of  the 
parlor,  depressed  and  worried)} 


1/6  Piano  and  Song. 

Mr.  Forte  {keeps  his  seat  at  the  piano,  and 
says  in  French  to  Mrs.  Gold).  Madam,  you  have 
reached  the  climax  of  the  beautiful  in  music.  I 
count  it  one  of  the  happiest  moments  of  my 
artistic  tour  to  be  allowed  to  breathe  out  my  soul 
at  the  piano,  in  the  presence  of  one  like  yourself. 
What  a  loss,  that  your  position  must  prevent  you 
from  elevating  the  German  opera  to  its  former 
greatness,  as  its  most  radiant  star! 

Mrs.  Gold  {py  this  time  quite  well).  I  must 
confess  that  Jenny  Lind  never  quite  satisfied  me 
when  she  was  here.  She  is,  and  must  always 
remain,  a  Swede,  —  utterly  cold.  If  she  had  been 
educated  here,  she  would  have  hstened  to  more 
passionate  models  than  in  Stockholm,  and  that 
would  have  given  the  true  direction  to  her  sensi- 
bility. 

Mr.  Forte.  You  are  quite  right ;  you  have  a 
just  estimate  of  her.  In  Paris,  where  she  might 
have  heard  such  examples,  she  lived  in  perfect 
retirement.  I  was  giving  concerts  there  at  the 
time  ;  but  she  refused  to  sing  in  my  concerts,  and 
therefore  she  did  not  even  hear  me. 

Mr.  Silver  {whom  the  excitement  of  the  singing 
has  at  length  reached).  Do  you  feel  inclined  now, 
Madam,  to  execute  with  me  the  duet  from  "  The 
Creation,"  between  Adam  and  Eve. 


Extravagances  in  Singing y  &c.  177 

Mrs.  Gold.  Here  is  "The  Creation,"  but  we 
will  sing  it  by  and  by.  Mr.  Forte  is  just  going  to 
play  us  his  latest  composition  for  the  left  hand,  and 
some  of  the  music  of  that  romantic,  deeply  sensi- 
tive Chopin. 

Mr.  Gold  {rushes  in  from  his  stock  disczcssion^. 
Oh,  yes  !  Chopin's  B  major  mazourka  !  That  was 
also  played  at  my  house  by  Henselt,  Thalberg, 
and  Dreyschock.     Oh,  it  is  touching! 

All  (except  Mr,  Silver^  Dominie^  and  Emma), 
Oh,  how  touching! 

Dominie  {to  his  daughter).  If  he  plays  it  in  the 
same  manner  in  which  he  accompanied  "  True 
Happiness,"  you  will  hear  how  this  mazourka 
should  not  be  played.  It,  by  the  way,  is  not  at 
all  touching:  it  gives  quite  boldly  the  Polish  dance 
rhythm,  as  it  is  improvised  by  the  peasants  in  that 
country  ;  but  it  is,  however,  idealized  after  Chopin's 
manner. 

(Mr.  Forte  plays  several  perilous  runs  up  and 
dow7i  with  various  octave  passages^  all  the 
time  keeping  Jus  foot  on  the  pedal ;  and  con- 
nects with  these  immediately^  and  without  a 
pause,  the  mazourkay  which  he  commences  presto. 
He  played  it  without  regard  to  time  or  rhythm^ 
but  with  a  constant  rubato,  a7id  unmusical  jerks, 
8*  I 


lyS  Piano  and  Son^, 

A  few  notes  were  mitrmured  indistinctly  pp., 
and  played  very  ritardando  ;    then  suddenly  a 
few  notes  were  struck  very  rapidly  and  with 
great  force,  so  that  the  strings  rattled ;    and 
the  final  B  major  chord  cost  the  life  of  one 
striftg) 
Mr.  Gold.      Excellent !    bravissimo !      What   a 
comprehension  of   the   piece !     Such  artistic  per- 
formances  make   one   even   forget    the    stock-ex- 
change ! 

Mrs.  Gold.  You  agitate  my  inmost  nerves ! 
The  English  poet,  Pope,  holds  that  no  created 
man  can  penetrate  the  secrets  of  nature  ;  but  you 
have  penetrated  the  secrets  of  my  soul.  Now 
do  play  at  once  the  F  sharp  minor  mazourka, 
opus  6. 

Mr.  Pious.  What  a  musical  evening  Mrs.  Gold 
has  prepared  for  us!  What  sublime  sorrow  lies 
in  this  production ! 

Mr.  Silver  {aside).  What  would  Father  Strauss 
say  to  this  affected,  unmusical  performance,  that 
bids  defiance  to  all  good  taste } 

Dominie.  Mrs.  Gold,  it  would  be  well  to  send 
for  the  tuner  to  replace  this  broken  B  string.  The 
next  one  will  break  soon,  for  it  is  already  cracked, 
and  its  tone  is  fallen. 


Extravagances  in  Singing y  &c.  179 

Mr.  Fobte  {with  a  superior  air).  It-  is  of  no 
consequence.  That  frequently  happens  to  me ; 
but  I  never  mind  it.  The  piano  is  a  battle-field 
where  there  must  be  sacrifices. 

Dominie  {whispers  to  Emma).  He  thinks  that 
if  the  sound  is  not  musical,  still  it  makes  a  noise ; 
and  tones  out  of  tune  produce  more  effect  than 
those  that  are  pure. 

Emma.  Where  did  he  learn  piano-playing } 
Dominie.  My  child,  he  has  not  learned  it.  That 
is  genius,  which  comes  of  itself.  Instruction  would 
have  fettered  his  genius,  and  then  he  would  have 
played  distinctly,  correctly,  unaffectedly,  and  in 
time ;  but  that  would  be  too  much  like  the  style 
of  an  amateur.  This  uncontrolled  hurly-burly, 
which  pays  no  regard  to  time,  is  called  the  soaring 
of  genius. 

{Mr.  Forte  storms  through  various  unconnected 
c fiords  with  the  greatest  rapidity,  with  the  pedal 
raised ;  and  passes  without  pause  to  the  F  sharp 
minor  mazourka.  He  accents  vehemently,  di- 
vides one  bar  and  gives  it  two  extra  quarter 
notes,  and  from  the  next  bar  he  omits  a  quar- 
ter note,  and  cojitinues  in  this  manner  with 
extreme  self-satisfaction  till  Jie  reaches  the 
close ;    a7id  tJie^i,  after  a  few  desperate  chords 


i8o  Piano  and  Song, 

of  the  diminished  seve7itk,  he  connects  with  it 

Liszt's  Transcription  of  Schubert's  Serenade  ijt 

D  minor.     The  second  string  of  the  two-lined 

b  snaps   with    a    rattle^   and  there    ensues  a 

general  whispering  '^whether   the  piece  is  by 

Mendelssohn,  or  Dohler,  or  BeethoveUy  or  Prochj 

or  Schumann,'  until  finally  Mr.  Silver  mentions 

Schubert's  Serenade.    Mr.  Forte  concludes  with 

the  soft  pedal,  which  in  his  inspired  moments 

he  had  already  made  frequent  use  of) 

Dominie   {to  Emma).     You  should  never   play 

m  company,  without  mentioning  previously  what 

you  are  going  to  perform.     You  observe,  as  soon 

as  the  Serenade  was  mentioned,  it  put  a  stop  to 

the  guessing. 

All  (except  Mr.  Silver  and  Dominie).     What  a 
glorious  performance !  what  an  artistic  treat ! 
Mrs.  Gold.     What  spirituality  in  his  playing ! 
Mr.  Silver  {asking  Mr.  Forte  for  information). 
I  noticed,  in  the  Serenade,  you  made  only  one  bar 
of  the  two  where  it  modulates  to  F  major,  in  your 
rapid  playing  of  the  passage.    Was  that  accidental } 
Emma  {aside).     He  ought  to  have  played  a  little 
slower  just  there. 

Mr.  Forte.     In  such  beautiful  passages,  every 
thing  must  be  left  to  the  suggestion  of  one's  feel 


Extravagances  in  Singingy  &c.  i8l 

ings.  Perhaps  another  time  1  may  make  three 
bars,  just  as  inspiration  and  genius  may  intimate. 
Those  are  aesthetic  surprises.  Henselt,  Moscheles, 
Thalberg,  and  Clara  Wieck  do  not  execute  in  that 
manner,  and  consequently  can  produce  no  effect, 
and  do  not  travel. 

Dominie  {to  Emma).  I  hope  that  your  natural 
taste  and  your  musical  education  will  preserve  you 
from  such  preposterous  extravagances. 

Emma.     Such  playing  makes  one  feel  quite  un- 
comfortable and  worried.      Probably  that  is  what 
you  call  "  devilish  modern  "  ? 
Dominie.     Yes. 
Emma.     But  do  people  like  it } 
Dominie.     Certainly  :   a  great  many  people  do. 
It  has  the  superior  air  of  genius,  and  sounds  very 
original. 

(Mrs.  Gold  has  "  The  Creation''  i?i  her  hand,  and 
Mr.  Silver  leads  her  to  the  piano  for  the  execution 
of  the  gra7id  duet  betweeii  Adam  and  Eve.  Mr, 
Forte  is  exhaustedy  and  Dominie  plays  the  ac- 
companiment. Mr.  Silver  sings  intelligently 
and  UTtaffectedly  ;  Mrs.  Gold,  as  before,  but  with 
still  less  regard  to  time,  and  more  out  of  time ; 
but  she  tries  to  compensate  for  this  by  introduc- 
ing very  long  ornaments  at  the  fermate  in  the 


1 82  Piano  and  Song, 

allegro,   sung  with  her    thin,  piercing,   over- 
strained voice ;  and  she  frequently  rolls  up  her 
black  eyes.     At  the  conclusion,  Mrs.  Gold  was 
led  to  the  arm-chairy  in  great  exhaustion  of 
feeling^ 
Mr.  Pious.   The  divine  art  of  music  celebrates  its 
perfect  triumph  in  such  interpretations  of- Haydn. 
Mrs.  Gold,  were  those  delicious /^rw^/^  of  your  own 
invention } 

Mrs.  Gold.  No  :  the  charming  Viardot-Garcia 
first  introduced  them  as  Rosina  in  "  The  Barber  of 
Seville,"  and  I  had  them  written  down  by  a  musician 
in  the  theatre.  But  the  employment  of  them  in  this 
duet  is  my  own  idea.  I  have  already  surprised  and 
delighted  a  great  many  people  with  them  in  parties. 
The  grand,  rushing,  chromatic  scale  with  which  the 
artistic  Garcia  astonishes  every  one,  when  acting 
the  dreaming,  fainting  Amina  in  "  La  Somnam- 
bula,"  I  introduce  in  the  grand  aria  of  the  divine 
"  Prophet ;  "  rather  timidly,  it  is  true,  for  the  bold- 
ness of  a  Garcia  can  only  ^ '^ '^ '  acquired  on  the 
stage. 

Emma.  But,  father,  Jenny  Lind  sang  in  this  duet 
in  Vienna,  quite  simply,  and  with  a  pure  religious 
spirit. 

Dominie.     That  is  '^'^  reason  Mrs.  Gold  says 


Extravagances  in  Singing,  &c.  183 

that  Jenny  Lind  sings  too  coldly,  and  ought  to 
listen  to  more  passionate  models.  But  we  will  talk 
more  about  this  at  home. 

Mrs.  Gold.  Now,  Mr.  Dominie,  will  not  your 
daughter  Emma  play  us  some  little  trifle  .?  After- 
wards I  will  execute  with  Mr.  Silver,  "  By  thy  loving 
kindness,  O  Lord,"  and  a  few  duets  by  Kucken,  and 
finish,  if  the  company  wishes,  with  the  "  Gr4ce  " 
aria. 

Dominie.  Will  you  allow  me  first  to  replace  this 
broken  string } 

(After  Dominie  has  finished^  Mr,  Forte  strides  up 
to  the  piano,  and  plays  his  Etude  for  the  left  hand, 
with  the  right  hand  extended  towards  the  com- 
pany)^ 

Dominie  {to  Mr.  Forte,  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
piece):  Would  it  not  have  been  easier  and  more  to 
the  purpose,  if  you  had  used  both  hands  ? 

Mr.  Forte.  We  must  forgive  old  people  such 
pedantic  observations.  You  entirely  mistake  my 
stand-point.  Do  y^"  not  see  that  I  am  standing 
with  one  foot  in  the  future }  Are  you  not  aware 
that  the  public  wish  not  only  to  listen,  but  to  see 
something  strange }  Do  you  not  perceive  also  that 
my  appearance  of  ill-health  produces  a  great  musi- 
cal effect  ?  ^.^^ 


184  Piano  and  Song 

Mr.  Pious.  Do  you  not  feel  the  special  charm 
and  the  fine  effect  which  is  produced  by  the  left 
hand  playing  alone,  and  no  less  by  the  right  hand 
extended  ? 

Dominie.  Is  it  so  }  Well,  probably  feeling  has 
taken  a  false  direction  with  me.  I  shall  be  obliged 
to  accustom  myself  to  such  Parisian  flights  of  sen- 
timent. 

(Emma  played  Chopin^ s  Ballad  in  A  flat  major^ 
after  Dom  inie  had  previously  announced  it.  The 
company  were  attentive^ 

Mr.  Forte  {at  the  conclusion).  Bravo  !  A  very 
good  beginning,  Mr.  Dominie.  I  am  sorry  that  I 
am  obliged  to  take  leave  now  :  I  am  obliged  to  go 
to  two  more  soirees  this  evening,  and  have  many 
letters  of  introduction  to  deliver. 

Mr.  Silver.  Miss  Emma,  I  have  just  heard  that 
you  play  finely  a  great  deal  of  Chopin's  music.  Let 
us  hear  his  two  latest  nocturnes. 

Mrs.  Gold  {to  Emma).  Have  you  heard  the 
famous  Camilla  Pleyel  play  Kalkbrenner's  charming 
D  minor  concerto }  Do  you  not  also  play  such 
brilliant  music }  for  example,  Dohler's  beautiful, 
pathetic  Notturno  in  D  flat.  Mr.  X.  lately  played 
that  to  us  enchantingly. 

Emma.  I  know  it.  I  am  teaching  it  to  my  little 
sister,  Cecilia. 


Extravagances  in  Singing  &c,  185 

Dominie.     Will   you    allow   her    now   to    play 
Chopin's  two  nocturnes,  Opus  48  ? 


I  will  say  nothing  about  the  conclusion  of  the 
singing,  —  the  "  Grdce  "  aria.  At  midnight  there 
was  a  grand  supper,  washed  down  with  sweet  wine, 
and  seasoned  with  bitter  recollections  of  this  musi- 
cal evening. 


1 86  Piano  and  Song, 


CHAPTER   XV. 

CONCLUSION. 

I  HAVE  received  the  following  communication 
from  an  old  literary  friend,  to  whom  I  sent  my 
eighth  chapter,  requesting  his  opinion  of  it :  — 

Motto. 
There  are  unreceptive  times,  but 
that  which  is  eternal  outlives  all 
times. — JOH.  von  Muller. 

My  dear  Friend,  —  I  have  read  your  eighth 
chapter.  What  you  facetiously  call  "the  three 
trifles"  seem  to  me  to  be  three  most  important 
points,  even  if  you  had  described  them  simply  as 
fine  taste,  deep  feeling,  and  a  good  ear.  Who  ex- 
pects superlative  excellence  from  the  age  in  which 
he  lives,  and  who  dares  to  attack  it,  in  its  most 
vulnerable  parts  t  You  grow  more  harsh  and  disa- 
greeable, and  you  do  not  seem  to  consider  how 
many  enemies  you  make,  among  those  who  think 
that   they  have  long  ago  advanced  beyond  these 


Conclusion.  187 

three  points.  Just  now,  too,  when  there  is  so  much 
said  about  "  the  intellectual "  in  music,  and  about 
"  the  inner  nature  of  the  future,"  and  when  such 
fine  expressions  are  invented  about  it,  you  come 
forward  with  your  three  unseasonable  trifles  in 
the  superlative  degree.  Do  you  imagine  that 
our  intelligent  age  cannot  discern  your  hidden 
satire  ? 

You  say  that  our  times  are  in  need  of  your  three 
trifles,  and  the  necessary  knowledge  and  experience. 
Voild,  tout ! 

As  for  Prince  Louis  Ferdinand,  Dussek,  Clementi, 
Himmel,  Hummel,  C.  M.  v.  Weber,  Beethoven,  &c., 
—  who  has  not  heard  all  about  them  } 

After  them,  comes  the  period  of  "  piano  fury," 
and  the  compositions  appropriate  for  it.  Now  the 
three  trifles  required  are  distorted  taste,  hypocriti- 
cal feeling,  and  a  depraved  ear,  combined  with  the 
necessary  superficiality  and  some  power  of  produc- 
tion.     Voila  tout ! 

After  that,  musicians  bethink  themselves  once 
more  of  the  genuine  three  trifles,  and  return  to  rea- 
son, and  we  are  allowed  to  take  delight  in  Chopin, 
Mendelssohn,  Fr.  Schubert,  Robert  Schumann, 
and  a  few  others  of  the  same  sort,  and  again  in 
Beethoven. 


1 88-  Piano  and  Song. 

These  were  succeeded  by  mere  dry  imitators  ; 
they  were  not,  however,  of  much  significance. 

Finally,  the  very  latest  progress  introduces  a  still 
more  extravagant  piano  fury.  The  three  trifles  are 
now  distorted  taste,  no  feeling,  and  no  ear  for  tone  ; 
and  with  these  are  required  the  necessary  audac- 
ity, immeasurable  vanity,  senseless  exhibitions  of 
strength,  a  poor  touch  upon  the  piano,  and  what 
they  call  "intellect."  The  compositions  are  now 
embellished  with  appropriate  pictures  on  the  cover, 
and  with  attractive  title-pages.  In  addition,  there 
is  much  talk  about  a  "  higher  beauty,"  "  the  stand- 
points which  have  been  already  surmounted,"  "  artis- 
tic flights,"  and  the  "  misunderstanding  of  the  inner 
consciousness,"  "  Genius  must  be  free,"  &c. 

My  old  conservative  friend,  you  are  seen  through. 
Your  influence,  and  more  especially  your  ideas 
about  singing,  belong  only  to  a  past  age.  They 
date  from  the  last  century.  You  will  be  derided 
with  your  Jenny  Lind  and  Henrietta  Sontag.  They 
are  lifeless  images  of  singers,  to  be  kept  in  a  glass 
case.  Are  you  willing  to  remain  ignorant  of  the 
magnificent  modern  style  of  voice }  Can  you  not 
go  forward  with  the  advancing  age  ?  Progressive 
philosophers  will  rap  you  over  the  knuckles.  You 
imagine  that  our  times  will  stop  for  a  couple  of 


Conclusion.  1 89 

lectures  !  You  wil^  yet  have  to  learn  what  "  intel- 
lect" signifies.  In  short,  I  should  not  like  to  stand 
in  your  shoes.  You  should  conclude  your  book 
with  "Pater,  peccavi." 

Even  in  misfortune, 

Your  sympathizing  friend, 


TTMTTri.'T5 


30  DAY  USE 

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